ANNUAL REVIEW 2020 d FARM AFRICA ANNUAL REVIEW 2020 FARMAFRICA.ORG 2 Letter from the Chair 3 Letter from the Chief Executive 4 Where we work 6 Farm Africa Strategy 8 The COVID-19 pandemic 10 Livestock for Livelihoods 12 Goat Power 14 Restoring and preserving Ethiopia’s Bale Eco-region 16 Economically empowering female coffee farmers 18 Forest-friendly businesses in Ethiopia’s Central Rift Valley 20 Boosting sorghum production in Tanzania 22 Thank you 23 Financial summary LETTER FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE LETTER FROM THE CHAIR Having started at Farm Africa in May Anna, a participant in our Livestock for 2020, this is my first Annual Review letter. Livelihoods programme (see pages 10-11), Welcome to Farm Africa’s 2020 Annual While it was no doubt a challenging year, Despite lockdown meaning I have not had used to rely on her harvests to feed her Review, where we reflect on some of last 2020 also brought new opportunities and the opportunity to meet many of you in family in Karamoja, Uganda. She told us: year’s achievements in working towards new beginnings. We were delighted to person, I am grateful for having been able to “When it is rainy or windy, the crops get our vision of a resilient rural Africa where welcome Dan Collison as the organisation’s connect virtually with many of Farm Africa’s destroyed and we have nothing to give the people and the environment thrive. new Chief Executive in May and at the end supporters, partners and staff. Many thanks children.” With Farm Africa’s help, Anna of the year to appoint Ken Caldwell as a new to everyone who has extended such a warm will have other options in future. As well as We are proud to have reached more than trustee. We were also pleased to embark on welcome to me in a year that has been like growing crops, she now rears goats, which one million people across eastern Africa in some innovative projects. no other. produce milk and meat, a source of both 2020 with support that is needed now more income and food. She is also taking part than ever. Many of the smallholder farmers With funding from USAID’s Feed the Future I am honoured to have been appointed in a savings association, giving her access and pastoralists we support across eastern Partnering for Innovation programme as Chief Executive of an organisation I to credit so she can now be sure there will Africa are living on the edge. In the face of we started working in partnership with have admired for many years. Each day be money available for essentials such as climate change, the pandemic, civil unrest Root Capital to help coffee cooperatives in post has heightened my understanding school fees. and global commodity price fluctuations, in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo reduce of the difference Farm Africa makes by farmers and rural businesses lack the the risk that volatile prices in the global supporting sustainable livelihoods for rural The year 2020 marked the final year of Farm safety nets and resilience to bounce back coffee market pose to smallholder farmers’ communities in eastern Africa. Africa’s previous strategy. I am proud to from shocks. income. In Kenya, funding from the Open launch this Annual Review at the same time Society Foundations enabled us to continue I have huge respect for the expertise and as launching our new 2021-2025 strategy, The case studies in this report outline building a resilient and inclusive policy knowledge of our colleagues and partners a summary of which can be found on pages how Farm Africa has helped smallholder environment for the development of Kenya’s across Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania 6-7. farmers gain access to the markets, high- aquaculture sector. and DR Congo, who work so hard to ensure quality inputs and finance needed to drive the communities we support have the The last year has demonstrated the prosperity. You’ll read how we’ve supported We are hugely grateful to the many opportunity to make a decent living today, resilience of the communities that we agro-pastoralists to secure access to individuals and organisations who have while protecting the environment for work with, as well as the resilience of our adequate water, fodder and healthcare for extended support to Farm Africa over this tomorrow. organisation. As we plan for the years to the livestock on which they rely. challenging year, without whom none of come, I hope we can count on your support our work would be possible. Our sincerest That work was more challenging than ever to help transform lives for millions more The COVID-19 pandemic has posed many thanks go to you all on behalf of the in 2020, disrupted by crises including the people like Anna and her family. obstacles, but our dedicated teams have communities we serve. COVID-19 pandemic, swarms of desert worked hard to innovate and adapt so locusts, severe floods and conflict. In the they could continue wherever possible to face of these challenges, the impact of support rural communities to maintain or our work has been all the more profound, increase their incomes while sustainably helping to ensure that farmers can managing the natural resources around John Reizenstein withstand shocks and still provide for their Dan Collison them. Chair families. Chief Executive 02 03 FARM AFRICA ANNUAL REVIEW 2020 FARMAFRICA.ORG FARM AFRICA’S PROJECT LOCATIONS IN 2020: WHERE WE WORK 9 ETHIOPIA 6 1. Making forestry sustainable WE HELP FARMERS TO NOT ONLY 2. Preserving ecosystems in Bale BOOST YIELDS, BUT ALSO GAIN 3. Marketing Bale’s wild coffee 4. Making forest coffee profitable ACCESS TO MARKETS, WHILE 7 5. Sustainable coffee value chain development PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR 6. Climate resilience for female farmers GENERATIONS TO COME. 7. Market-driven climate-smart agriculture 6 9 6 8. Livelihoods for refugee and host communities 9. Building resilience through agribusinesses 9 IN 2020, WE REACHED MORE THAN ETHIOPIA 10. Landscape management in the Central Rift Valley ONE MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS 5 11. Enhancing market systems for improved sustainable livelihoods 12. Majang Biosphere EASTERN AFRICA. 11 4 9 KENYA 6 10 7 12 6 1 2 13. Market-led aquaculture 6 14. Growing futures 9 9 3 15. Cashew nut and sesame production and marketing 16. Waitrose & Partners Foundation 2427 7 17. Regenerative agriculture 7 6 TANZANIA 6 8 18. Boosting sorghum production in a changing climate 19. Developing business acumen in horticultural enterprises 20. Youth-led development of the moringa value chain 21. Sunflower production 27 UGANDA DR CONGO 2422 22. Investing in Uganda’s young and female coffee farmers 20 23. Commercialising chilli production 23 KENYA 24. Livestock and breeding services in Karamoja UGANDA 1413 25. Gender in the coffee value chain DR CONGO 1615 26. Coffee production in Virunga National Park 2326 2221 17 1312 REGIONAL 25 27. Livestock for Livelihoods 28 1312 28. Cultivate 29. Price risk management (training delivered online to cooperatives across DR Congo, Rwanda and Uganda) 1919 21 15 1919 1618 TANZANIA 1820 20 04 Carl de Keyzer / Magnum Photos for the Virunga 05 Foundation FARM AFRICA ANNUAL REVIEW 2020 FARMAFRICA.ORG BUILDING THE RESILIENCE OF RURAL Agri-tech: We will embrace the use of STRATEGY 2021-25 COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN AFRICA technology across all stages of the value chain. THIS STRATEGY CHARTS A CLEAR PATH FOR FARM AFRICA FOR THE Farm Africa’s approach will continue to be based on three thematic pillars: A RESPECTED TECHNICAL LEADER NEXT FIVE YEARS. IT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED THROUGH A WIDE-RANGING CONSULTATION PROCESS. THERE ARE NEW AREAS Agriculture: By 2025, Farm Africa will We will prioritise capturing and FOR FARM AFRICA TO EXPLORE, AND SOME AREAS IN WHICH WE support one million smallholder farmers disseminating learning in order to and agro-pastoralists per year to increase maximise the effectiveness of our WILL DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING. their productivity, household incomes programmes. We will track progress and resilience. We will boost livelihoods against a standard set of indicators in a number of core value chains such as measuring both the reach of our work and Farm Africa’s mission, and the new strategy that supports it, aligns with the UN’s Sustainable coffee, aquaculture, oilseeds and livestock, its impact on factors such as household Development Goals (SDGs), contributing towards the global effort to end poverty, protect the and increase farmers’ participation in revenue, number of jobs created and planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. market systems, while applying nature- hectares of degraded land restored. based solutions that promote responsible environmental stewardship. We will specialise in a number of core value chains, likely to include coffee, Market engagement: By 2025, Farm Africa aquaculture, horticulture, oilseeds, will support at least 200 farmer groups sorghum, non-timber forest products and and cooperatives and small and growing livestock. businesses (SGBs) to grow sustainably, and support 12 private sector partners to We will continue to amplify our impact by transition to sustainable supply chains. working in partnership with a wide range of organisations including community-based Environment: By 2025, Farm Africa organisations, businesses, government, will implement integrated landscape NGOs and research organisations. management projects in all countries of operation, supporting the sustainable We will share evidence-based learning management of 12 priority landscapes, widely in order to influence the policy and including forests, rangelands and coastal practice of others. ecosystems. We will expand payment for ecosystems schemes, including further ONE FARM AFRICA REDD+ projects. We will develop a culture that The three pillars will be underpinned by demonstrably lives the organisation’s five cross-cutting themes: values and that prioritises staff well-being.