Africa's smallholder farmers

Approaches that work for viable livelihoods

A new report focussing on the role of smallholder farmers in increasing food security has been launched.

Produced by African Smallholder Farmers Group with the assistance of Practical Action and other NGOs, 'Africa's Smallholder Farmers: Approaches that work for viable livelihoods' emphasises the need to support and prioritise smallholder farmers in Africa, and to provide the right kind of support that enables them to strengthen agriculture and livelihoods over the long term (instead of focus on short-term productivity gains). It contains nine case studies of successful approaches, including three from Practical Action's African offices.

download Africa's smallholder farmers: Approaches that work for viable livelihoods (PDF, 3.9Mb)

This report was formally launched at the APPG Agriculture & Food for Development meeting on Wednesday 7 July, 2010, at the Houses of Parliament in London.

African Smallholder Farmers Group

The African Smallholder Farmers Group is a consortium of agencies whose aim is to promote effective support to smallholder farmers in Africa by sharing lessons and information, collecting evidence of what works and highlighting the important of smallholder farmers to developing country and donor governments.

The members of the group include: Practical Action, Action Aid, FARM-Africa, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Find Your Feet, Self Help Africa and Send a Cow.

Related publications | Food and agriculture | Reducing Vulnerability programme