Improving the livelihood of smallholder farmers

Our Mission

To create value for resource-poor small farmers in developing countries through innovation in sustainable agriculture and the activation of value chains.

Our Strategy

The operational strategy of the Syngenta Foundation can be summarized in three words: smallholders, productivity and markets. The Foundation supports partners who work in agriculture in resource-poor settings in developing countries and emerging markets. The purpose is to help small farmers become more professional growers by extending science-based know-how, facilitating access to quality inputs, and linking them to markets in profitable ways. Small farmers are the key group requiring attention in agricultural and rural development. The world's poverty and hunger problems cannot be solved otherwise, and their contribution to food supplies is needed.

The Role of the Syngenta Foundation

• To lead in facilitating and scaling up approaches that work.

• To excel through the knowledge and expertise developed with partners

Syngenta foundation Kenya

Syngenta foundation Kenya is housed in the Syngenta East Africa Ltd’s premises in upper hill working in line with Syngenta East Africa Ltd as a partner in collaboration with various ministries of the government to making its activities in Kenya a success.

The organisation began its activities in Kenya in June 2009 working with farmers in the Arid and Semi-Arid areas of Laikipia in Kenya. The project “scaling up Laikipia” was a combination of conservation agriculture via Syngenta foundation Laikipia project, extension methodology and expanded scope via the Syngenta foundation global and broader solution provision through new partnerships in a bid to;

• Increase productivity and income of pre-commercial farmers

• (extension services and value chain integration)

• Reach more farmers

• (10,000 farmers by 2011)

• Provide a complete on-farm solution

• (food and cash crops)

Objectives

• Raise small farmer productivity and food security; strengthen links to markets.

• Reach 10,000 smallholders by end 2011 assuring adoption of technology and engagement in value chains.

Key aspects

• Vegetable as cash crops, partnerships, conservation agriculture, stewardship, water management, quality seeds, nurseries, agricultural extension, access to markets.

• Irrigation, farm implements & machinery, pest & disease control, greenhouses, animal husbandry & fishery, post-harvest technologies & marketing.

Partners

• : CETRAD, Syngenta East Africa, Syngenta Global Stewardship

Collaboration:

• Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Ministry of Fisheries, Syngenta Seeds, ICRISAT, ILRI, Swiss School of Ag. at Bern Univ.

Start Date

: June 2009

Current reach:

1500 farmers

Syngenta foundation staff with farmers in one of the Laikipia water dams.

From far right, Simon Gikonyo(project officer small holder development), Martin TaylorChairman of Syngenta foundation and Syngenta Ag), Marco ferroni (executive director syngenta foundation.) and other onlookers in one of the green houses in laikipia.