Backpack Farm Agriculture Program - Supplying & Training Africa's Smallest Green Farmers

More than 20 million people in the Horn of Africa are in need of food aid because of drought and rocketing food and fuel prices. However the estimated 80-100 million smallholder farmers in East Africa are an underutilized resource to support local, regional and export food production of which 80% is produced by women.

“Permanent support of smallholder farmers in Africa and beyond is the key to reducing world poverty and hunger.”Kofi Annan, October 2010

The Backpack Farm Agriculture Program (BPF) is an internationally recognized social enterprise aggregating packages of green inputs and training to smallholder farmers. The technical program is highlighted by its unique set of green (biological and botanical) agri-tech, packaged as an all-in-one backpack packaged with all the essential agriculture inputs needed for smallholder farmers to standardize both the quality and quantity of agriculture production during an annual growing season, to mirror semi-commercial rates of production. Most important, farmers receive training on how best to use the backpack tools as well as build their core capacity. Training and products are delivered through a network of franchise farms helping local business and non profits generate income while institutionalizing new capacities ensuring systemic change is both sustainable and scalable.

The BPF Program provides not just biological farming supplements and training but a complete 5 phase program ensuring smallholder farmers to increase their harvests and improve their qualities of life. Together, it is possible to achieve sustainable linkages in food production, value chains, credible finance, income generation, social and ecological domains.