USAID's Farmer-to-Farmer Program to provide technical assistance in Zimbabwe

Training and support provided through Farmer-to-Farmer will focus on improved production and processing technologies, strengthening organizational and marketing capacity of agribusinesses, and promoting the use of conservation agriculture.

The five-year USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer Program (2018-2023) launched on May 30. At a launch event held at Africa Synod House, representatives of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Government of Zimbabwe, a Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer, and implementing organization Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening agriculture and resilience in Zimbabwe.

The USAID-funded John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program provide technical assistance by highly qualified American volunteers to farmers, farmer groups, agribusinesses, and other agriculture sector institutions in developing and transitional countries. The program aims to generate sustainable, broad-based economic growth in the agricultural sector and increase understanding of international development issues and U.S. development programs through people-to-people diplomacy.

In Zimbabwe, the Farmer-to-Farmer Program will focus on horticulture, legumes and livestock/dairy value chains due to their potential to benefit many farmers and earn high returns on investment. Through 84 volunteer assignments, the program will catalyze the development of commercially viable and sustainable businesses along these value chains. The volunteers will support the efforts of current U.S. Government-funded agricultural programs working with farmers, aggregators, processors, and marketers. Training and support provided through Farmer-to-Farmer will focus on improved production and processing technologies, strengthening organizational and marketing capacity of agribusinesses, and promoting the use of conservation agriculture.

Over the course of the five-year program, volunteers will train thousands of smallholder farmers to increase sales and learn how to farm as a business in order to increase household incomes, strengthen livelihoods, and build community resilience.

(With Inputs from APO)