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Smallholder farmer is harvesting in Africa

Africa in 2020: Less crop loss, more income

Before the coronavirus pandemic, farmers’ cooperatives mainly suffered from fluctuations in global trade and the consequences of climate change. Rabo Foundation therefore focuses on projects that benefit the ecosystem. But we also work on digital solutions to offer better access to financing and markets.

How we work in Africa

In Africa, we encourage local entrepreneurship as much as possible. By supporting cooperatives and companies that create value locally and regionally, we help the farmers benefit from higher incomes. But we also finance local small- and medium-sized enterprises in the food and agricultural sector, because they strengthen the value chain – which also strengthens the farmers.

Financing

We offer farmers’ cooperatives loans with favorable terms. If they do well, then we adjust our terms and interest to reflect the market, so that the organizations can prepare to borrow money from standard local banks in the future. In 2020, in Africa, we provided a total of € 7.6 million in loans, technical assistance, trade finance and grants.

Technical support

We call in local training organizations to help farmers get ahead with knowledge and expertise, for example on how to diversify their crops. That reduces the likelihood of failed harvests, and they learn how to deal with the consequences of climate change, such as extreme drought or heavy rains. The farmers then share the knowledge with others in their cooperative.

Local teams

Our local team in Kenya is an important element of Rabo Foundation’s strategy. The staff speak the language and know the local customs and environment. Our local team also helps us quickly identify new challenges and potential solutions for farmers.
Our training organization ADC in Uganda trains farmers in the area of financial and digital self-reliance.

Continent Africa - focus countries Rabo Foundation

Our focus in 2020

Providing emergency support

Preventing food waste

Dealing with the consequences of climate change

Although the rates of infection in Africa were relatively low, the continent did suffer other consequences from the global coronavirus pandemic. Some producers of coffee and avocados faced reduced demand from buyers such as the Western hospitality industry. And most African countries don’t have governments that can step in to lend a hand. So in 2020, we set up a Covid Release Fund to provide bridge loans and donations in countries such as Uganda, where one of our partner cooperatives suffered a failed coffee harvest.

A brief selection of what we’ve achieved

Better incomes

Better access to financing

By combatting food waste, we’ve structurally improved many farmers’ incomes. Mango farmers in Kenya are a good example. We’ve financed a method for drying their mangos after harvest. That keeps them edible for longer, the farmers receive a better price for their product due to high demand, and it keeps the fruit from spoiling in storage.

Results Africa

Continent Africa - focus countries Rabo Foundation

8 countries

we are active in Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal and Tanzania.

Illustration coins

€ 7.6 million

we provided in the form of loans, trade finance, technical assistance and grants.

Illustration support growth

99

producer cooperatives, savings and credit cooperatives, MFIs and SMEs in Food & Agri were thus given the opportunity to start or scale up their operations. And, by doing so, strengthen the position of smallholder farmers.

Mouth mask

€ 162,538

we provided to 14 organizations we supported from our Covid-19 emergency fund.

Illustration training

19%

of our organizations received technical assistance, such as education and training in agricultural techniques and crop diversification.

innovation data

12

projects in the field of agtech and fintech solutions we financed.

So far in 2021

Accelerating innovations

More and more fintech solutions are becoming available that smallholder farmers can use to improve their harvests or increase their incomes. Plus, data on harvests and repayment ability are increasingly becoming the norm for individual farmers to qualify for loans. We support a growing number of fintechs that offer these digital solutions.

Our impact stories

Great examples of what we and our partners have achieved in 2020.

Reaping everything you sow in Tanzania

Africa | Smallholder farmers
Smallholder banana farmers in Tanzania

A better life through profitable cattle

Africa | Smallholder farmers
Smallholder dairy farmer in Kenya
Read more impact stories

Explore our impact in other countries

More about Rabo Foundation

Rabo Foundation | MyFugo: A better life through profitable cattle - Rabobank