George carries sugar cane for Katine market, Uganda Photograph: Guardian/Dan Chung The business of development Helping Africa’s smallholders transform into rural entrepreneurs 2009/10 Annual Review Working in the field in Katine, Uganda, at sunrise Photograph: Guardian/Martin Godwin FARM-Africa works directly with rural communities in eastern Africa, building their skills and knowledge and enabling them to lift themselves out of poverty. We help communities identify the problems limiting their livelihoods and the income they can generate from their land, whether they are smallholder farmers, pastoralists or forest dwellers and then work with them to find the most effective and appropriate solutions. FARM-Africa Annual Review 2009/10 Chairman’s report It has been a year of great progress for We have collaborated and partnered Their combined skills and experience FARM-Africa. We estimate that in 009 with a wide range of organisations in are already adding great value to our we reached over four million people in 2009, details of which you’ll find within board. We were also delighted that Kate Africa. We are now entering an exciting this review, and we continue to explore Adie agreed to become an Ambassador ways of working with those who share for FARM-Africa after supporting us for period of expansion during which we our values and our commitment to a many years. plan to help even more communities prosperous rural Africa. find pathways out of poverty. We say thank you to Sir Peter de Looking ahead and building on our long la Billière and Lord Plumb who are The European Union’s response to experience of community-based livestock stepping down as Patrons of FARM- the rise in world food prices brought development, we have particularly high Africa after long and excellent service funding for three important new hopes for the introduction of a unique to become Ambassadors. Their projects – assisting farmers to grow and livestock services franchise – a commercial distinguished support helped FARM- market sesame in Tanzania, improving enterprise with social objectives. If we Africa gain recognition in our early years dryland farming practices in Kenya and are successful in securing funding for this and we are most grateful to them. supporting the livelihoods of particularly project, its scale and approach will be a vulnerable women in Ethiopia. This substantial departure from our normal FARM-Africa ended 2009 in good significant injection of resources has activities. It will demand the very best skills financial shape and continues to be enabled us to put into action some of to implement successfully, but its potential strong. We believe the right balance is our long-held plans. to enhance our ability to help people being achieved between the prudent improve their livelihoods is huge. requirement to build unrestricted Our forestry work goes from strength reserves and the need to invest in to strength with a new project starting During the year we were fortunate growing and improving our organisation. in Tanzania, supported by the European to receive the support of Kofi Annan, Union, and another project in Ethiopia Chairman of Alliance for a Green FARM-Africa is now in its 25th year. that began in early 2010. This work is Revolution in Africa, at a fundraising This review shows that FARM-Africa is a built on our nearly 20 years’ experience dinner in London and the National vibrant and forward looking organisation of conserving forests and creating Farmers Union (NFU) kindly that has achieved much and still has sustainable livelihoods for those who commemorated their 100th anniversary huge potential for further growth and depend on forests. with a special appeal for FARM-Africa. innovation in agricultural development. I know that without the passion, energy In 2009 we welcomed three new and vision of our trustees, staff and trustees to the board - John Shaw supporters none of what is reported formerly Finance Director here would have been possible and at Oxfam, Tim Williams for that I sincerely thank them all. - Head of Enterprise and Agriculture at the Commonwealth Secretariat and Richard Macdonald who K recently retired as Martin Evans o fi Director-General of A n n the NFU. a n , D r C h r is t i s e d P o e o a co W c re k o an od d he M : T art ph in ra Eva tog ns a - Pho t fundraising dinner Farmer John with his family, western Kenya Cassava project Photograph: Tessa Stanley-Price/FARM-Africa FARM-Africa is a vibrant and forward looking organisation has achieved much and that still has huge potential for further growth and Inspired leadership innovation in agricultural In early 010, with some reluctance I can say without the development. all round, FARM-Africa’s Board of slightest exaggeration Trustees accepted a request from that it has been her inspired Dr Christie Peacock, to step down as leadership that has propelled FARM-Africa over the past decade CEO of FARM-Africa later in the year. to its position today as a widely Christie has provided FARM-Africa respected and influential rural As Chairman I would like to thank with an enormous wealth of expertise development organisation. Christie for her long, dedicated and highly and practical experience. She is a effective service – and I have every faith Happily, we will continue to benefit distinguished animal scientist with a that her latest project will be a winner from Christie’s extensive experience huge passion for improving the lives of for FARM-Africa and the thousands of as she is stepping down to lead farmers in Africa. She has been CEO smallholder farmers it will benefit. FARM-Africa’s planned livestock of FARM-Africa for over 11 years and services franchise business. Martin Evans hers will be a hard act to follow. A farmer monitors his cassava crop, western Kenya Photograph: Tessa Stanley-Price/FARM-Africa Africa’s small farmers and herdsmen are the people who can contribute most towards satisfying the needs of the vast and hungry continent. FARM-Africa Annual Review 2009/10 GO the Extra MILE It seems like only yesterday that Mike Wood, David Campbell and Dick Our best work always builds the FARM-Africa was based in a wooden Sandford, a key adviser in the early skills of local people to be able to shed. At first our office was in a small years, all had a dogged determination take forward and build on initiatives hut in the garden of one of our founders, and persistence to drive forward the themselves, once FARM-Africa FARM-Africa vision of a prosperous leaves. In order to do that the Sir Michael Wood, in Nairobi. rural Africa, and an entrepreneurial initiative must generate sufficient Our other founder, David Campbell, then spirit to turn vision into reality. revenue from enterprises and real moved the office to a small wooden value (financial, social, personal) to Mike and David both looked for people building in Oxford, following Michael’s individuals, groups and communities. who were prepared to go the extra mile, untimely death. This is where I found That is real sustainability. people who had a deep commitment to David, after travelling half way round working with communities to improve FARM-Africa’s founding vision and the world to be interviewed for the job their lives, people who put their work values hold true today. How that vision of Dairy Goat Project Co-ordinator in before themselves. is turned into reality will always need to Ethiopia. He took me off to a pub and match the current age. asked me when I could start. Little did I What I learned during six turbulent know what would happen to my life in years in Ethiopia was what poverty It is not easy aligning the interests and the ensuing 22 years! really means to people in Africa – and demands of diverse donors – government that the Dairy Goat Project was donors, trusts, companies and individuals After a decade in participatory livestock supporting some of the poorest women – with the needs of people in Africa; research and post-graduate teaching I was in Ethiopia, many widows from the civil while also maintaining our vision, eager to put into practice what I knew, war, in a very real and practical way. strategic focus and independent voice. believing that there was much existing That is the challenge ahead. knowledge that was not being applied. I learned what it means to only be able to give your small child one meagre meal The needs of Africa are immense; FARM- What appealed to me about FARM-Africa a day, to sleep on the floor of a small hut Africa has never been more relevant. We was a strong commitment to support with no blankets, to spend hours collecting now have a track record of success and local people to try out new approaches to foul water and all of this with little hope of real experience to share. I urge all who solving their problems, a sense of urgency anything changing in your lifetime. read this to go the extra mile for FARM- about the mission and a commitment to Africa and thank all those who have practical and flexible solutions. I met women who shared one chicken done so for the people we serve. with a neighbour and learned how women FARM-Africa’s original core respond with eagerness and a huge sense belief was that: of responsibility when opportunities are offered to them, and how just a little help Africa’s small farmers and herdsmen can truly transform lives. are the people who can contribute most towards satisfying the needs of Knowing the transformational power Dr Christie Peacock the vast and hungry continent.