Agriculture & Food Security

Challenge: Most small-scale African farmers are disadvantaged at every stage in producing and selling agricultural produce. Large areas of soil are nutrient deficient. The rains are erratic, technology is scarce, credit is limited, access to agronomists and veterinarians is limited, and markets are often out of reach or inefficient. These challenges continue to lock many Africans participating in the agricultural economy locked in the cycle of poverty.

PanAfricare’s solution: PanAfricare believes that African farmers can sufficiently sustain the continent’s consumption needs. The majority of Africa’s farms are small plots run by rural farmers. PanAfricare’s experience has shown that when these producers are equipped with knowledge of best agricultural practices and with basic inputs such as improved seeds, better governance for efficient resource use through group production techniques, sustainable agricultural production techniques, and more, they can maximize yields of diverse crops to feed themselves, their families and their communities. PanAfricare prioritizes sustainability in our activities to maintain production gains in the long term. Our agricultural programs are innovatively designed to empower communities, boost agricultural productivity, reduce labor constraints, minimize market distortions, and encourage farmer participation and leadership at all levels of program implementation.

Using a participatory action-oriented approach targets:

(1) increasing the availability of sufficient quantities of food;

(2) improving access to the economic, physical, and social resources required to acquire food;

(3) ensuring proper utilization of food to ensure adequate nutrition and food safety and,

(4) promoting the stability and resilience of the food system over time.  

Activities in this sector may seek to :

Strengthen access to inputs and services: Our activities look to increase access to services, especially those that many rural farmers lack. This includes the financial inclusion of agricultural producers by linking producers to affordable and beneficial financial services and providing training on using them effectively. PanAfricare also supports access to other important services like veterinary and disease management extension services. We also work to increase access to other vital agricultural inputs, particularly those that are low cost and high yield or applicable in low resource settings like solar water pumps for irrigation. 

Strengthen skills in agricultural production: To maximize production output and yields, PanAfricare equips local farmers with a technology package necessary to restore and conserve degraded soils (such as soil and water management). For livestock production, activities focus on improving animal health and access to quality feed. This promotion consists of the training of producers and the setting up of demonstration plots. In addition, PanAfricare supports the production of improved varieties for seeds and livestock ( such as animal breeding) and increases the adoption of enhanced and innovative farming techniques for diverse geographical environments.  

Graduated Mentorship: After assessing local economic opportunities, Pan Africare provides training on the skills needed to capitalize on production and market prospects. PanAfricare provides business literacy to facilitate increased household income levels from agricultural production. Our mentorship model reinforces these skills, occurring with peer guidance in step-by-step phases.