For the past four and half years I have had the privilege of leading Farm Africa as we have helped change over four million lives, forever.

As I step down from my role of chief executive I am very proud of the work we have achieved, and hugely excited about the future of Farm Africa and the farmers we work with. When you read the inspiring stories in this edition of From the Field I believe you will too.

Inside you can read how together we will be helping farmers like Nehemia to start farming orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. And how these farmers will soon be able to give their children a nutritious diet, and earn enough money to educate them and invest in their futures.

You can also find out more about farmers who, like me, are reaching the end of their journey with Farm Africa - and have seen incredible change along the way. Farmers like Cecilia who, through farming sorghum, have gone from a hand-to-mouth existence to a life of prosperity. As well as Agnes, whose raffia weaving activities over the past four years have helped her to feed, clothe and educate her children.

These inspirational farmers are feeling positive about the future and all that they will achieve.

And I feel the same about Farm Africa as the organisation continues to flourish and grow, all because of supporters like you. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you personally for all you contribute to Farm Africa.

With my thanks and best wishes,

Nigel HarrisChief Executive

YOUR AUTUMN NEWS FROM FARM AFRICA

IN ETHIOPIA, CHICKENS RULE THE ROOST

Eking out a living in Ethiopia’s remote and rugged Tigray region is tough for any farming family. But for elderly widows like 60-year-old Kidan, simply growing enough to survive is a real struggle. However rearing chickens can offer these women, many of whom will soon be too frail to farm their land, a way to earn a good living during their later years.

Despite her age, Kidan worked hard on her farmland, but was still unable to earn an income from her crops. “I only used the harvest to feed myself; I could not grow enough to sell as well. So, I weeded my neighbour’s land for some extra money.”

Unsure of how she could continue to support herself in the future, Kidan was eager to become involved in Farm Africa’s chicken rearing project. At training sessions run by our staff Kidan learnt all about rearing chickens and how to keep her birds healthy. “I have had good training from Farm Africa, through the agricultural experts. I learnt how to feed and look after my chickens and how to build my chicken house.”

Once she had completed her training and built a chicken house Kidan received 15 chickens from Farm Africa, together with enough chicken feed for the first few months.

By giving a gift of £80 you could help give another woman everything she needs to set up her own chicken business.

BRINGING THE MARKET TO BEKER

40-year-old Bekerlives in Melka Amen village in southern Ethiopia with his wife Radiya and their children. The village is 24km from the nearest livestock market, which makes life very difficult for the herders and livestock keepers like Beker who live there.

system in place to rotate the grazing lands and ensure that the grasses can regenerate at regular intervals.

We also set up a livestock market in a nearby town where traders come to buy high-quality, well fed livestock. With ongoing access to plentiful fodder, and without the long and damaging journey to market, Beker’s animals are in much better health and fetch a good price – meaning he can confidently provide for his family.

In this remote and arid area, the majority of families rely on their livestock rather than crops to survive. The animals provide milk for families to drink, and when they have young they can be sold at market to generate income to buy food. But with so many livestock-rearing families all living in the area the rangelands had been over-grazed, leaving little nutritious fodder and many animals falling into ill health. And undernourished animals stop producing milk and young.

The problem was made even worse by the absence of a local livestock market. All too often, by the time Beker had walked his animals all the way to market their health had deteriorated even further, leaving them almost worthless to traders.

As with all Farm Africa’s projects we work closely with rural communities, helping them to find practical, sustainable solutions to the challenges they face. So we helped Beker and his fellow herdsmen to set up a rangeland co-operative, and they now have a strict

A gift from you today of £500 could help establish a livestock market – giving another community like Beker’s the help they need to turn their livestock into thriving businesses.

Kidan is visited by her trainer, who continues to support her chicken rearing.

Here is Beker outside the local livestock market, where he is able to sell his animals for a good price.

IN THIS ISSUE:

FROM THE FIELDAutumn 2015

Turning livestock into thriving businesses

Raffia weaving as a sustainable source of income

Bumper harvests transform lives in Kenya

“There was no livestock market before... Thank you to Farm Africa for this local livestock market... With the help of Farm Africa the rangelands are also managed which in turn will help our future livelihoods.”

THIS CHRISTMAS, GIVE A GIFT THAT GOES A LITTLE FURTHER...

9th FloorBastion House140 London WallLondon EC2Y 5DN

020 7430 0440info@farmafrica.orgwww.farmafrica.orgRegistered charity no. 326901

E-CARDS

PAPERCHASE CARDS

Visit www.farmafrica.org/ecards to view our full collection, from traditional Christmas designs to photos from our projects across eastern Africa – we’re sure we have something for everyone.It’s a quick, easy and green way to show your friends and family that you’re thinking of them this Christmas!

MARKET

She receives regular visits from a trained expert who lives in her community, and he helps her make sure that her birds are in good health. Kidan expects them to start producing eggs very soon – some of which she will allow her hens to brood and hatch so that she can grow her flock. And the remainder she will sell at market.

Over time as her flock grows, Kidan will be able to earn more and enjoy a better quality of life. Additional income will mean that she can buy enough food, and medicines when she is sick. She’s already thinking of the future and what she would like to achieve. “‘When I earn money, I hope to buy sheep and goats.”

From the end of September look out for two special Farm Africa Christmas card packs on sale in Paperchase stores across the UK and online at www.paperchase.co.uk

A donation from each pack sold will come to Farm Africa, and help more farmers take their first steps on the path to prosperity.

Looking for a quirky gift this Christmas which isn’t going to end up at the bottom of a cupboard? Look no further than Farm Africa Presents; ethical gift ideas – including seed starter kits, beehives and goats - with the power to transform lives. Visit www.farmafricapresents.org.uk to choose from our unique range of gifts. You just need to add your own message and let us know whether you’d prefer to send a personalised film, online card or paper card – we’ll do the rest!

FARM AFRICA PRESENTS

Merry

Christmas!

Nigel (in centre) with farmers in Mwingi, Kenya

FTF-draft3.indd 1 8/20/2015 10:23:12 AM

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED OUR SUPERFOOD APPEAL EARLIER THIS YEAR

We were overwhelmed by your generosity and are delighted that you raised over £87,000!

We told you about the struggles faced by Nehemia Festo, his wife Maria and their three children Beatrice, Lightness and Gift who live in Zombo village in Tanzania’s Morogoro region. Like much of Tanzania, there are high levels of poverty and malnutrition in this area. Farmers like Nehemia struggle to reap a good harvest due to frequent outbreaks of pests and plant disease. And what little they do have to sell rarely fetches a good price at market or from the passing traders who visit their villages.

We are pleased to let you know that work is now beginning to set up the demonstration plots where farmers like Nehemia will learn about different varieties of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, as well as how to grow them. Not only are they not susceptible to the pests that eat their other crops, these tasty tubers

also provide a much-needed source of vitamin A that will help combat the high levels of malnutrition in Zombo village and across Tanzania. And with the local government heavily promoting their consumption, demand and prices are rapidly increasing, so the farmers who grow orange-fleshed sweet potatoes can be sure to earn a good income.

When Nehemia starts growing the sweet potatoes on his farmland, he will be able to improve his family’s diet and start earning a good income to invest in his farm and his children’s futures.

Thank you for helping Nehemia, and hundreds more farmers like him to transform their families futures. You can be assured that your generosity to this appeal is already bearing fruit.

BEATRICE’S GREEN GRAMS GARDEN GROWS

As is common in the area, Beatrice (pictured) and her family lived a hand-to-mouth existence – reliant on their twice yearly harvests to survive. With no formal agricultural training and unable to afford to buy good-quality seeds her crops had little chance of thriving and generating the income the family so desperately needed. For up to three months at a time they survived on a just one meal each day.

However, this once seemingly endless struggle is now a thing of the past for Beatrice and the other members of the Women’s Group. Last year, one of Farm Africa’s field officers started work with the group, teaching them which crops could thrive in Kitui’s dry climate and how best to grow them. We also provided Beatrice with some high-quality seeds for green grams, cowpeas and sorghum so that she could put everything she has learnt into practice on her farm.

The results were astonishing. She planted the new seeds alongside her traditional crop of maize. As is often the case, the rains were poor and Beatrice harvested nothing from her field of withered maize. However she did reap a harvest from her new crops and grew 49kg of green grams, 90kg of cowpeas and 50kg of sorghum – enough to provide three meals a day for her family until the next harvest.

Beatrice Kimwele is secretary of the Kevithe Women’s Group – a group of 29 female farmers living in eastern Kenya’s Kitui county.

“I look at my harvest and am thankful for this project. Our children are healthy, happy and educated”

Having reaped a healthy harvest, Beatrice then had the confidence to focus solely on growing the new crops. By using some of the money she earned selling her surplus at market she invested in high-quality seeds for drought-tolerant crops to plant during the next rains. She’s hopeful of another good harvest, and many more to follow!

WEAVING A WAY OUT OF POVERTY

It’s only four years since 56-year-old Agnes Sanka first became involved with Farm Africa – but the transformation she has seen in that time is incredible.

Living on the edge of Tanzania’s Nou Forest, her family once relied on a small area of land cleared of trees to grow maize, coffee, beans, pigeon peas and vegetables to feed themselves and sell at market. It was difficult to grow enough to eat three meals a day and have some surplus to sell, which meant they were left struggling to make ends meet.

The forest has a rich supply of natural raffia which has been used by generations of women like Agnes to make the baskets and mats that adorn their traditional homes. But until Farm Africa started working with them,

the women had never really seen their weaving skills as a reliable source of income.

Farm Africa carried out some research and found that there would be a good demand for high-quality woven products at markets in nearby towns and further afield in Tanzania. We then organised training sessions for Agnes and the other weavers where they learnt which products were in demand and could be sold for a good price.

They also learnt about how to add colour and other adornments to increase thequality and value of their products. Agnes was soon dedicating more and more time to weaving and now produces a steady stream of high-quality baskets, bags and mats and other goods to sell.

“There is a good market where I have managed to sell a lot of raffia products. With the extra money I can contribute to my children’s school costs, buying food and clothes for my family and helping the community become better.”

SPOTLIGHT ON THE MAENDELEO AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISE FUND (MAEF)

Like Beatrice, 62-year-old grandmother Cecilia would frequently see her maize crops wither and die, leaving her with no food and no income. “I had land but I had no income. We were planting a lot of maize but still we were not getting enough to eat let alone enough to sell.”

She turned to growing sorghum, as an alternative. But instead of growing the traditional red variety that can be sold at the market, the team from Mwailu Enterprises have helped her to start growing a white variety that grows faster and produces a bigger yield. It doesn’t taste great, so there’s not much demand for it at the weekly market, but it does have the added advantage of making great beer!

The team at Mwailu buy Cecilia’s sorghum directly from her, and do the same with hundreds more farmers in the area, before selling it in bulk to major brewing companies. With Mwailu making a small profit from every kilogram, they have a great incentive to help sorghum farmers access high-quality seeds and train them to grow as much as they

possibly can. And what’s very clear is that everyone is benefiting!

Cecilia receives a good price too: from three harvests she has earned over £1,200 from growing the white sorghum to sell to Mwailu. And her life couldn’t have changed more dramatically for the better.

When we interviewed her for this story we asked Cecilia how the project had changed her life. She laughed and pointed at a huge water tank on top of a beautiful stone house and said “we have plumbing, water everywhere in the house, my grandchildren are going to good schools and I can hire people to help me on my farm. My life has completely changed.”

CECILIA’S SUCCESS WITH SORGHUM SEEDS

Through our Maendeleo Agricultural Enterprise Fund (MAEF) Farm Africa helps small innovations become big successes that can benefit thousands of rural farmers and their families. And our partnership with Mwailu Enterprises, also in Kitui county, is no exception.

Visit www.farmafrica.org/fromthefield for even more inspiring stories, directly from the field.

By giving just £13 today, you could help provide another farmer like Beatrice with the seeds they need to start growing drought-tolerant crops on their land.

A gift of £32 could help provide another woman, like Agnes, with the training they need to set up their own raffia selling business.

Please give £120 to help give another group of farmers the training and support they need to grow themselves out of poverty.

Eating sweet potatoes will help improve Nehemia’s family’s diet.

Weaving high- quality raffia products provides Agnes with a reliable source of income.

Growing drought-tolerant crops has increased Beatrice’s harvest by 100%.

Through growing white sorghum and selling it to Mwailu Enterprises Cecilia’s life has changed for the better.

FTF-draft3.indd 28/20/2015 10:23:25 AM

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED OUR SUPERFOOD APPEAL EARLIER THIS YEAR

We were overwhelmed by your generosity and are delighted that you raised over £87,000!

We told you about the struggles faced by Nehemia Festo, his wife Maria and their three children Beatrice, Lightness and Gift who live in Zombo village in Tanzania’s Morogoro region. Like much of Tanzania, there are high levels of poverty and malnutrition in this area. Farmers like Nehemia struggle to reap a good harvest due to frequent outbreaks of pests and plant disease. And what little they do have to sell rarely fetches a good price at market or from the passing traders who visit their villages.

We are pleased to let you know that work is now beginning to set up the demonstration plots where farmers like Nehemia will learn about different varieties of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, as well as how to grow them. Not only are they not susceptible to the pests that eat their other crops, these tasty tubers

also provide a much-needed source of vitamin A that will help combat the high levels of malnutrition in Zombo village and across Tanzania. And with the local government heavily promoting their consumption, demand and prices are rapidly increasing, so the farmers who grow orange-fleshed sweet potatoes can be sure to earn a good income.

When Nehemia starts growing the sweet potatoes on his farmland, he will be able to improve his family’s diet and start earning a good income to invest in his farm and his children’s futures.

Thank you for helping Nehemia, and hundreds more farmers like him to transform their families futures. You can be assured that your generosity to this appeal is already bearing fruit.

BEATRICE’S GREEN GRAMS GARDEN GROWS

As is common in the area, Beatrice (pictured) and her family lived a hand-to-mouth existence – reliant on their twice yearly harvests to survive. With no formal agricultural training and unable to afford to buy good-quality seeds her crops had little chance of thriving and generating the income the family so desperately needed. For up to three months at a time they survived on a just one meal each day.

However, this once seemingly endless struggle is now a thing of the past for Beatrice and the other members of the Women’s Group. Last year, one of Farm Africa’s field officers started work with the group, teaching them which crops could thrive in Kitui’s dry climate and how best to grow them. We also provided Beatrice with some high-quality seeds for green grams, cowpeas and sorghum so that she could put everything she has learnt into practice on her farm.

The results were astonishing. She planted the new seeds alongside her traditional crop of maize. As is often the case, the rains were poor and Beatrice harvested nothing from her field of withered maize. However she did reap a harvest from her new crops and grew 49kg of green grams, 90kg of cowpeas and 50kg of sorghum – enough to provide three meals a day for her family until the next harvest.

Beatrice Kimwele is secretary of the Kevithe Women’s Group – a group of 29 female farmers living in eastern Kenya’s Kitui county.

“I look at my harvest and am thankful for this project. Our children are healthy, happy and educated”

Having reaped a healthy harvest, Beatrice then had the confidence to focus solely on growing the new crops. By using some of the money she earned selling her surplus at market she invested in high-quality seeds for drought-tolerant crops to plant during the next rains. She’s hopeful of another good harvest, and many more to follow!

WEAVING A WAY OUT OF POVERTY

It’s only four years since 56-year-old Agnes Sanka first became involved with Farm Africa – but the transformation she has seen in that time is incredible.

Living on the edge of Tanzania’s Nou Forest, her family once relied on a small area of land cleared of trees to grow maize, coffee, beans, pigeon peas and vegetables to feed themselves and sell at market. It was difficult to grow enough to eat three meals a day and have some surplus to sell, which meant they were left struggling to make ends meet.

The forest has a rich supply of natural raffia which has been used by generations of women like Agnes to make the baskets and mats that adorn their traditional homes. But until Farm Africa started working with them,

the women had never really seen their weaving skills as a reliable source of income.

Farm Africa carried out some research and found that there would be a good demand for high-quality woven products at markets in nearby towns and further afield in Tanzania. We then organised training sessions for Agnes and the other weavers where they learnt which products were in demand and could be sold for a good price.

They also learnt about how to add colour and other adornments to increase thequality and value of their products. Agnes was soon dedicating more and more time to weaving and now produces a steady stream of high-quality baskets, bags and mats and other goods to sell.

“There is a good market where I have managed to sell a lot of raffia products. With the extra money I can contribute to my children’s school costs, buying food and clothes for my family and helping the community become better.”

SPOTLIGHT ON THE MAENDELEO AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISE FUND (MAEF)

Like Beatrice, 62-year-old grandmother Cecilia would frequently see her maize crops wither and die, leaving her with no food and no income. “I had land but I had no income. We were planting a lot of maize but still we were not getting enough to eat let alone enough to sell.”

She turned to growing sorghum, as an alternative. But instead of growing the traditional red variety that can be sold at the market, the team from Mwailu Enterprises have helped her to start growing a white variety that grows faster and produces a bigger yield. It doesn’t taste great, so there’s not much demand for it at the weekly market, but it does have the added advantage of making great beer!

The team at Mwailu buy Cecilia’s sorghum directly from her, and do the same with hundreds more farmers in the area, before selling it in bulk to major brewing companies. With Mwailu making a small profit from every kilogram, they have a great incentive to help sorghum farmers access high-quality seeds and train them to grow as much as they

possibly can. And what’s very clear is that everyone is benefiting!

Cecilia receives a good price too: from three harvests she has earned over £1,200 from growing the white sorghum to sell to Mwailu. And her life couldn’t have changed more dramatically for the better.

When we interviewed her for this story we asked Cecilia how the project had changed her life. She laughed and pointed at a huge water tank on top of a beautiful stone house and said “we have plumbing, water everywhere in the house, my grandchildren are going to good schools and I can hire people to help me on my farm. My life has completely changed.”

CECILIA’S SUCCESS WITH SORGHUM SEEDS

Through our Maendeleo Agricultural Enterprise Fund (MAEF) Farm Africa helps small innovations become big successes that can benefit thousands of rural farmers and their families. And our partnership with Mwailu Enterprises, also in Kitui county, is no exception.

Visit www.farmafrica.org/fromthefield for even more inspiring stories, directly from the field.

By giving just £13 today, you could help provide another farmer like Beatrice with the seeds they need to start growing drought-tolerant crops on their land.

A gift of £32 could help provide another woman, like Agnes, with the training they need to set up their own raffia selling business.

Please give £120 to help give another group of farmers the training and support they need to grow themselves out of poverty.

Eating sweet potatoes will help improve Nehemia’s family’s diet.

Weaving high- quality raffia products provides Agnes with a reliable source of income.

Growing drought-tolerant crops has increased Beatrice’s harvest by 100%.

Through growing white sorghum and selling it to Mwailu Enterprises Cecilia’s life has changed for the better.

FTF-draft3.indd 28/20/2015 10:23:25 AM

For the past four and half years I have had the privilege of leading Farm Africa as we have helped change over four million lives, forever.

As I step down from my role of chief executive I am very proud of the work we have achieved, and hugely excited about the future of Farm Africa and the farmers we work with. When you read the inspiring stories in this edition of From the Field I believe you will too.

Inside you can read how together we will be helping farmers like Nehemia to start farming orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. And how these farmers will soon be able to give their children a nutritious diet, and earn enough money to educate them and invest in their futures.

You can also find out more about farmers who, like me, are reaching the end of their journey with Farm Africa - and have seen incredible change along the way. Farmers like Cecilia who, through farming sorghum, have gone from a hand-to-mouth existence to a life of prosperity. As well as Agnes, whose raffia weaving activities over the past four years have helped her to feed, clothe and educate her children.

These inspirational farmers are feeling positive about the future and all that they will achieve.

And I feel the same about Farm Africa as the organisation continues to flourish and grow, all because of supporters like you. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you personally for all you contribute to Farm Africa.

With my thanks and best wishes,

Nigel HarrisChief Executive

YOUR AUTUMN NEWS FROM FARM AFRICA

IN ETHIOPIA, CHICKENS RULE THE ROOST

Eking out a living in Ethiopia’s remote and rugged Tigray region is tough for any farming family. But for elderly widows like 60-year-old Kidan, simply growing enough to survive is a real struggle. However rearing chickens can offer these women, many of whom will soon be too frail to farm their land, a way to earn a good living during their later years.

Despite her age, Kidan worked hard on her farmland, but was still unable to earn an income from her crops. “I only used the harvest to feed myself; I could not grow enough to sell as well. So, I weeded my neighbour’s land for some extra money.”

Unsure of how she could continue to support herself in the future, Kidan was eager to become involved in Farm Africa’s chicken rearing project. At training sessions run by our staff Kidan learnt all about rearing chickens and how to keep her birds healthy. “I have had good training from Farm Africa, through the agricultural experts. I learnt how to feed and look after my chickens and how to build my chicken house.”

Once she had completed her training and built a chicken house Kidan received 15 chickens from Farm Africa, together with enough chicken feed for the first few months.

By giving a gift of £80 you could help give another woman everything she needs to set up her own chicken business.

BRINGING THE MARKET TO BEKER

40-year-old Bekerlives in Melka Amen village in southern Ethiopia with his wife Radiya and their children. The village is 24km from the nearest livestock market, which makes life very difficult for the herders and livestock keepers like Beker who live there.

system in place to rotate the grazing lands and ensure that the grasses can regenerate at regular intervals.

We also set up a livestock market in a nearby town where traders come to buy high-quality, well fed livestock. With ongoing access to plentiful fodder, and without the long and damaging journey to market, Beker’s animals are in much better health and fetch a good price – meaning he can confidently provide for his family.

In this remote and arid area, the majority of families rely on their livestock rather than crops to survive. The animals provide milk for families to drink, and when they have young they can be sold at market to generate income to buy food. But with so many livestock-rearing families all living in the area the rangelands had been over-grazed, leaving little nutritious fodder and many animals falling into ill health. And undernourished animals stop producing milk and young.

The problem was made even worse by the absence of a local livestock market. All too often, by the time Beker had walked his animals all the way to market their health had deteriorated even further, leaving them almost worthless to traders.

As with all Farm Africa’s projects we work closely with rural communities, helping them to find practical, sustainable solutions to the challenges they face. So we helped Beker and his fellow herdsmen to set up a rangeland co-operative, and they now have a strict

A gift from you today of £500 could help establish a livestock market – giving another community like Beker’s the help they need to turn their livestock into thriving businesses.

Kidan is visited by her trainer, who continues to support her chicken rearing.

Here is Beker outside the local livestock market, where he is able to sell his animals for a good price.

IN THIS ISSUE:

FROM THE FIELDAutumn 2015

Turning livestock into thriving businesses

Raffia weaving as a sustainable source of income

Bumper harvests transform lives in Kenya

“There was no livestock market before... Thank you to Farm Africa for this local livestock market... With the help of Farm Africa the rangelands are also managed which in turn will help our future livelihoods.”

THIS CHRISTMAS, GIVE A GIFT THAT GOES A LITTLE FURTHER...

9th FloorBastion House140 London WallLondon EC2Y 5DN

020 7430 0440info@farmafrica.orgwww.farmafrica.orgRegistered charity no. 326901

E-CARDS

PAPERCHASE CARDS

Visit www.farmafrica.org/ecards to view our full collection, from traditional Christmas designs to photos from our projects across eastern Africa – we’re sure we have something for everyone.It’s a quick, easy and green way to show your friends and family that you’re thinking of them this Christmas!

MARKET

She receives regular visits from a trained expert who lives in her community, and he helps her make sure that her birds are in good health. Kidan expects them to start producing eggs very soon – some of which she will allow her hens to brood and hatch so that she can grow her flock. And the remainder she will sell at market.

Over time as her flock grows, Kidan will be able to earn more and enjoy a better quality of life. Additional income will mean that she can buy enough food, and medicines when she is sick. She’s already thinking of the future and what she would like to achieve. “‘When I earn money, I hope to buy sheep and goats.”

From the end of September look out for two special Farm Africa Christmas card packs on sale in Paperchase stores across the UK and online at www.paperchase.co.uk

A donation from each pack sold will come to Farm Africa, and help more farmers take their first steps on the path to prosperity.

Looking for a quirky gift this Christmas which isn’t going to end up at the bottom of a cupboard? Look no further than Farm Africa Presents; ethical gift ideas – including seed starter kits, beehives and goats - with the power to transform lives. Visit www.farmafricapresents.org.uk to choose from our unique range of gifts. You just need to add your own message and let us know whether you’d prefer to send a personalised film, online card or paper card – we’ll do the rest!

FARM AFRICA PRESENTS

Merry

Christmas!

Nigel (in centre) with farmers in Mwingi, Kenya

FTF-draft3.indd 1 8/20/2015 10:23:12 AM

For the past four and half years I have had the privilege of leading Farm Africa as we have helped change over four million lives, forever.

As I step down from my role of chief executive I am very proud of the work we have achieved, and hugely excited about the future of Farm Africa and the farmers we work with. When you read the inspiring stories in this edition of From the Field I believe you will too.

Inside you can read how together we will be helping farmers like Nehemia to start farming orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. And how these farmers will soon be able to give their children a nutritious diet, and earn enough money to educate them and invest in their futures.

You can also find out more about farmers who, like me, are reaching the end of their journey with Farm Africa - and have seen incredible change along the way. Farmers like Cecilia who, through farming sorghum, have gone from a hand-to-mouth existence to a life of prosperity. As well as Agnes, whose raffia weaving activities over the past four years have helped her to feed, clothe and educate her children.

These inspirational farmers are feeling positive about the future and all that they will achieve.

And I feel the same about Farm Africa as the organisation continues to flourish and grow, all because of supporters like you. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you personally for all you contribute to Farm Africa.

With my thanks and best wishes,

Nigel HarrisChief Executive

YOUR AUTUMN NEWS FROM FARM AFRICA

IN ETHIOPIA, CHICKENS RULE THE ROOST

Eking out a living in Ethiopia’s remote and rugged Tigray region is tough for any farming family. But for elderly widows like 60-year-old Kidan, simply growing enough to survive is a real struggle. However rearing chickens can offer these women, many of whom will soon be too frail to farm their land, a way to earn a good living during their later years.

Despite her age, Kidan worked hard on her farmland, but was still unable to earn an income from her crops. “I only used the harvest to feed myself; I could not grow enough to sell as well. So, I weeded my neighbour’s land for some extra money.”

Unsure of how she could continue to support herself in the future, Kidan was eager to become involved in Farm Africa’s chicken rearing project. At training sessions run by our staff Kidan learnt all about rearing chickens and how to keep her birds healthy. “I have had good training from Farm Africa, through the agricultural experts. I learnt how to feed and look after my chickens and how to build my chicken house.”

Once she had completed her training and built a chicken house Kidan received 15 chickens from Farm Africa, together with enough chicken feed for the first few months.

By giving a gift of £80 you could help give another woman everything she needs to set up her own chicken business.

BRINGING THE MARKET TO BEKER

40-year-old Bekerlives in Melka Amen village in southern Ethiopia with his wife Radiya and their children. The village is 24km from the nearest livestock market, which makes life very difficult for the herders and livestock keepers like Beker who live there.

system in place to rotate the grazing lands and ensure that the grasses can regenerate at regular intervals.

We also set up a livestock market in a nearby town where traders come to buy high-quality, well fed livestock. With ongoing access to plentiful fodder, and without the long and damaging journey to market, Beker’s animals are in much better health and fetch a good price – meaning he can confidently provide for his family.

In this remote and arid area, the majority of families rely on their livestock rather than crops to survive. The animals provide milk for families to drink, and when they have young they can be sold at market to generate income to buy food. But with so many livestock-rearing families all living in the area the rangelands had been over-grazed, leaving little nutritious fodder and many animals falling into ill health. And undernourished animals stop producing milk and young.

The problem was made even worse by the absence of a local livestock market. All too often, by the time Beker had walked his animals all the way to market their health had deteriorated even further, leaving them almost worthless to traders.

As with all Farm Africa’s projects we work closely with rural communities, helping them to find practical, sustainable solutions to the challenges they face. So we helped Beker and his fellow herdsmen to set up a rangeland co-operative, and they now have a strict

A gift from you today of £500 could help establish a livestock market – giving another community like Beker’s the help they need to turn their livestock into thriving businesses.

Kidan is visited by her trainer, who continues to support her chicken rearing.

Here is Beker outside the local livestock market, where he is able to sell his animals for a good price.

IN THIS ISSUE:

FROM THE FIELDAutumn 2015

Turning livestock into thriving businesses

Raffia weaving as a sustainable source of income

Bumper harvests transform lives in Kenya

“There was no livestock market before... Thank you to Farm Africa for this local livestock market... With the help of Farm Africa the rangelands are also managed which in turn will help our future livelihoods.”

THIS CHRISTMAS, GIVE A GIFT THAT GOES A LITTLE FURTHER...

9th FloorBastion House140 London WallLondon EC2Y 5DN

020 7430 0440info@farmafrica.orgwww.farmafrica.orgRegistered charity no. 326901

E-CARDS

PAPERCHASE CARDS

Visit www.farmafrica.org/ecards to view our full collection, from traditional Christmas designs to photos from our projects across eastern Africa – we’re sure we have something for everyone.It’s a quick, easy and green way to show your friends and family that you’re thinking of them this Christmas!

MARKET

She receives regular visits from a trained expert who lives in her community, and he helps her make sure that her birds are in good health. Kidan expects them to start producing eggs very soon – some of which she will allow her hens to brood and hatch so that she can grow her flock. And the remainder she will sell at market.

Over time as her flock grows, Kidan will be able to earn more and enjoy a better quality of life. Additional income will mean that she can buy enough food, and medicines when she is sick. She’s already thinking of the future and what she would like to achieve. “‘When I earn money, I hope to buy sheep and goats.”

From the end of September look out for two special Farm Africa Christmas card packs on sale in Paperchase stores across the UK and online at www.paperchase.co.uk

A donation from each pack sold will come to Farm Africa, and help more farmers take their first steps on the path to prosperity.

Looking for a quirky gift this Christmas which isn’t going to end up at the bottom of a cupboard? Look no further than Farm Africa Presents; ethical gift ideas – including seed starter kits, beehives and goats - with the power to transform lives. Visit www.farmafricapresents.org.uk to choose from our unique range of gifts. You just need to add your own message and let us know whether you’d prefer to send a personalised film, online card or paper card – we’ll do the rest!

FARM AFRICA PRESENTS

Merry

Christmas!

Nigel (in centre) with farmers in Mwingi, Kenya

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