Cooperatives worldwide are ageing, and the number of young farmers is decreasing. This poses a threat to the future of agriculture and food security. It is therefore crucial that cooperatives involve young people, as they bring fresh ideas and new ways of working. To stimulate youth participation, Agriterra has developed the 'Youth in Agribusiness' programme, which begins with a Kick-off workshop.
Read moreBy Noah Ngetich, Lobby and Grant Expert, FFT Project
A small-holder dairy cooperative in Kenya is poised to revolutionize its industry thanks to a strategic partnership with Agriterra and the United States Africa Development Foundation (USADF). Mangu Progressive Dairy Co-Operative Society, located in Gatundu North, Kiambu County, has secured a grant of EUR 89,930 to invest in milk pasteurization and value-added products.
Read moreAgriterra has been working closely with two SACCOs in Rwanda under the Farmer Focused Transformation (FFT) programme. These SACCOs - CPF Ineza and SACCO Impamba - have provided crucial support to women entrepreneurs in the Southern Province. With a budget allocated to 80 women’s projects across these two SACCOs, Agriterra aimed to empower women by offering lower-interest loans, promoting entrepreneurship and providing training on agribusiness finance. Additionally, these efforts included designing financial products tailored for women in agribusiness, which has significantly impacted the beneficiaries.
Read moreCOAMANYA is a cooperative located in Kibirizi sector, Nyanza district, Rwanda. It is engaged in the production, collection, marketing and processing of maize as their main business activities. Initially formed as a farmer group in 2007, the cooperative was officially certified by the Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) in 2011. The cooperative is composed by 1382 members, including 707 females.
Read moreWritten by Elizabeth Gezahegn, Cooperative Advisor Ethiopia
In the heart of Ethiopia, the Chercher Oda Bultum Farmers Cooperative Union has been a beacon of progress since its inception in 2005. Starting with just 62 primary cooperatives, the union has grown into a robust organisation with 178 member cooperatives representing over 74,257 families. What began with a modest capital of 714,000 birr has now blossomed into an entity with a capital base of 150 million birr.
Read moreIn the ASAL (Arid and Semi-Arid Lands) area of lower eastern Kenya, a remarkable success story has emerged from a cooperative that aggregates and markets cereals in a region that is faced with erratic rainfall and the crop-value chains that perform well are only pulses. This cooperative, driven by the vision of sustainable agriculture and community empowerment, has made significant strides with the support of Agriterra under the Acting Now project.
Read moreWritten by Dita Beshada, Junior Cooperative Advisor Ethiopia
Organic fertilisers are naturally produced materials that can be added to soil or plants to provide essential nutrients and support growth. Unlike inorganic (synthetic) fertilisers, which are derived from synthetic materials, organic fertilisers are sourced from naturally occurring biochemical processes. Common examples include animal waste (such as manure and slurry) and plant-based fertilisers like compost.
Read moreWritten by Merveille Kakule Saliboko, communications consultant DR Congo
Thanks to Agriterra's training courses, the members of the ADPA cooperative are seeing their production increase significantly. By adapting the good farming practices they have learned, they use less seed to produce more rice. These good farming practices have been introduced through to the TRIDE project, Transition for Inclusive Development in Eastern DRC, implemented by Agriterra as part of its support for farming cooperatives.
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