AgriCord; Farmers Fighting Poverty

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

AgriCord is the network of "agri-agencies", non-governmental organisations for development cooperation. AgriCord and agri-agencies provide support to farmers' organisations in developing countries, covering both capacity building and concrete operations. The proposed “Farmers Fighting Poverty – Supporting Farmers’ Organisations in Agricultural and Forestry Value Chains” AgriCord-FFD programme with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland covers a 3-year period (2015-2017). Funding will allow for two immediate objectives: 1) improve farmers’ organisations’ and their members’ capacity to integrate in local and global value chains in the field of agriculture and forestry 2) improve efficiency and effectiveness of aid channeled through Farmers Fighting Poverty by supporting AgriCord-network’s joint planning, monitoring and evaluation. The proposal is part of the AgriCord’s Farmers Fighting Poverty development framework. The development goal is overall poverty reduction by promoting inclusive green economy, institutional capacity building and human development. The purpose is that stronger farmers’ organisations and established efficient working methods contribute to democracy and stability (better institutions), to economic growth (better services to farmers, improved entrepreneurial environment) and to a better income distribution (involvement of smallholders). The programme activities are implemented in four work areas of Farmers Fighting Poverty: 1) organisational strengthening, 2) institutional development, 3) political activities, lobbying and advocacy for improved entrepreneurial environment, and 4) economic activities, services to farmers, cooperative initiatives. The emphasis is on building the service capacity of farmers’ organisations to provide tangible benefits to members in forestry and different agricultural products by enhancing their integration to local and global value chains. In addition, AgriCord is supported in its continued joint planning, monitoring and evaluation of the support to the Southern farmers’ organisations, and in its coordination role to ensure synergy, coherence and collaboration of farmers’ organisations’ support by member agri-agencies.