A Season of Transition: Part 3

Farmer to Farmer began in 2003 with much enthusiasm and optimism.  Through the Land Ownership for Landless Farmers Program, families were successfully being brought out of extreme poverty.  However, there have been many challenges as well.  A major challenge for the farmers is lack of access to capital and markets.   For this reason, Farmer to Farmer will be adding emphasis on rural business development alongside our land ownership program in the coming years.  

This is part three of a three-part blog series detailing the early success and challenges of the Land Ownership for Landless Farmer Program and the reasons for expanding our programs to include rural business development.

1. Optimistic Beginnings and Signs of Success
2. Threats and Challenges
3. Adapting Our Focus & Bright Hope for the Future

Adapting Our Focus

            Recognizing that the landbank farmers also face challenges of access to capital and markets, Farmer to Farmer and our partner organizations are working towards a more complete program to help alleviate poverty in rural areas of Nicaragua.  The Land Ownership for Landless Farmers Program will still be a major objective of Farmer to Farmer, but we are also adding a new Rural Value Chain Development Program.  Through this program we are developing rural agricultural value chains, so that marginalized and poor farmers have better inclusion in local, domestic and international markets.  We are investing in wealth-creating enterprises and projects that provide products and services such as agricultural and business training, access to capital and access to markets to marginalized farmers.

            With our partner Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes (ACJ), we are helping to finance and develop a cocoa nursery and processing facility.  The goal is to produce seedling trees to increase planted acreage of cocoa in the area and then once the trees are bearing to purchase raw cocoa from the farmers, ferment and dry it so it is ready for transport to markets.

With our partner Acción Médica Cristiana (AMC) we have two pilot projects.  First, through the Seed Fund we are lending for inputs so that farmers can increase yield and quality.  Loans bear interest and are typically a year or less.  Second, we are establishing a business plan for AMC to establish a business where they purchase a variety of products from the farmers, take them to local town markets and resell them.

Bright Hope for the Future

            Adding an emphasis on value chain development is a challenge, but one that will bring great rewards.  Building up the rural agricultural business infrastructure will help farmers be more profitable.  This will in turn help future landbank projects to be more successful.  Right now, we are establishing these business projects and once they are operating well, we hope to purchase land for a new landbank.  We hope that this can take place next year in 2020 or in 2021. Throughout the future, we see the two programs complementing each other very well.

We are extremely grateful for the progress that has been made over the last 16 years.  Through the program 110 families have been helped through the Land Ownership for Landless Farmers Program.  We pray that we can greatly increase this number in the future.  We praise God for his blessings for the farm families, our partner organizations, and Farmer to Farmer and we pray for His wisdom and guidance as we continue to fight poverty in rural Nicaragua.

How You Can Help

            First of all, please pray for wisdom and guidance for the new rural business development program.  We know the need, but finding the best solution is always difficult, especially in rural Nicaragua.  Second, learn more about our values and approach on our website https://f2fnicaragua.org/ to understand how we view poverty an how we aim to alleviate it.  Third, prayerfully consider joining Farmer to Farmer.  Visit Nicaragua with one of the upcoming trips.  Finally, we need financial donations.  We are striving to build up our capital to be able to invest in new rural businesses and we also hope to start a new land purchase in 2020 if it is God’s will.  Visit https://f2fnicaragua.org/donate/ to learn about the various ways you can support us financially.