Why We Work

Discover our purpose

Millions of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa do not produce enough food from their small farms.

A typical smallholder farmer:

• Grows a diverse range of crops on poor soils over 0.2-2 hectares of land
• Does not receive advice from an extension worker
• uses local unimproved varieties which are susceptible to drought and disease
• Practices poor soil and crop management
• Keeps unproductive, unimproved breeds of livestock
• Is risk-averse

Technologies have been developed through research to increase crop and livestock productivity. While the development of these technologies is a positive step, ensuring that smallholder farmers are aware of these technologies and have access to them is equally crucial. 

 The lack of awareness and access is often attributed to the absence of effective advisory services.

FIPS-Africa have developed the Village Based Advisors (VBAs) Small Pack Model where self-employed VBAs provide advisory services and local access to farm inputs and technologies that smallholder farmers need to increase the productivity of their crops and livestock in a sustainable way.
FIPS-Africa’s challenge is to ensure this approach is implemented to assist all smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa to become food secure.