Approximately two billion people rely on smallholder farming for their daily food and livelihoods. Addressing their needs goes a long way toward ending global poverty and hunger, as they represent 70 percent of the world’s extreme poor.
Our agriculture program develops practical solutions for smallholder farmers—whether access to finance, seeds and fertilizer, weather information, technical assistance or markets. We pay special attention to women farmers, who often shoulder the majority of farm labor, yet have the least access to resources. To support farmers’ breakthroughs, our programs combine the use of digital technology and data, and work with a rich array of partners, from community and women’s groups to global agribusinesses. See smallholder agriculture reimagined here:
Learn how our agriculture programs:
Building Resilience
Resilience for smallholder farmers comes in many different forms. We innovate solutions that enable poor, food-insecure farmers to withstand shocks, whether from extreme weather or volatile markets.
Strengthen Market Engagement
We design programs that enable resource-limited farmers to become reliable, preferred providers to formal markets, and enable service providers to deliver appropriate affordable products to poorer farmers.
Connect Farmers to Finance
Smallholder farmer demand for agricultural finance outstrips supply ten-fold. Other forms of financial services, including crop insurance and secure ways to save among them, would likewise open new opportunities for farmers in poor countries.
Develop Skills and Expertise
To support the professionalization of smallholder farmers we develop tools that increase their productivity and access to premium markets--such as organic and fair trade.