ZAMBIA – The Norwegian government is planning to invest US$17 million in the development of agricultural markets for 600,000 smallholder farmers in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia.
The project, which will be spearheaded by Farm to Market Alliance (FTMA), also plans to engage over 3,000 agricultural small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in profitable food value chains, thus boosting their income and sustainability.
FTMA, which is a unique coalition consisting of six organisations namely Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Bayer Crop Science Division, Rabobank, Syngenta Crop Protection, Yara International and the World Food Programme (WFP), is aimed at developing a sustainable and profitable agricultural sector in Africa.
According to a statement issued by FTMA, the partnership addresses major challenges smallholder farmers face.
“The FTMA is proud to announce that the Norwegian government will continue its support with a commitment of US$17 million over three years. This grant will help ensure that agricultural markets work better for hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers in
The Farm to Market Alliance is an alliance of six agri-focused organisations, collaborating to develop a sustainable and profitable agricultural sector in Africa.
It does so by addressing the major challenges smallholder farmers face, supporting their transition to commercial agriculture.
The Farm to Market Alliance is a unique collaboration that supports the growth of agricultural markets and works with smallholder farmers to help them find buyers for their produce – enabling them to earn a sustainable living and support their families”
David Beasley – Executive DIrector, World Food Proramme
The Farm to Market Alliance works to build resilient value chains by bringing together the public and private sectors to leverage the knowledge, experience, and infrastructure of agriculture experts.
Africa is recognised as the future breadbasket of the world, but the continent is still a net-importer of food.
The Farm to Market Alliance’s mission is to develop a sustainable and profitable agricultural sector in Africa.
Farmers in Africa have been subject to a range of barriers preventing them from transitioning to commercial farming.
To address this, the Farm to Market Alliance takes a demand-led approach in servicing smallholder farmers and the surrounding ecosystem, thus providing a holistic value chain solution.
The announcement of continued funding to the Farm to Market Alliance comes at a time when access to food is deteriorating for millions of people, threatening both food security and peace in vulnerable regions.
“In the middle of the COVID-19 crisis we are also facing a hunger crisis. We must rebuild more resilient and fair food systems after the pandemic, and the Farm to Market Alliance is uniquely positioned to help us achieve that goal,” said Yara’s President and CEO, Svein Tore Holsether.
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