Self Help Africa's vision is of a rural Africa free from poverty and hunger.
The organization's mission is to provide practical support to rural communities to allow them produce enough food to feed themselves and trade their way out of poverty.
This effort is focused on:
Food security
One in three people in Africa is hungry, and most of these hungry people live on small farms. We help small farmers to grow more food, by introducing new seeds or new crops; by encouraging irrigation; by providing advice on what to plant, when to plant, how to fertilize and mangage land. We believe that with inputs such as these, farmers will lift their families and communities out of hunger and poverty.
Developing entrepreneurs
We encourage farmers to grow new crops, to diversify, to trade their way out of poverty, and to develop 'off-farm' income. We support and organise into co-ops and producer groups, giving them greater help while they grow, and greater negotiating power after harvest as they sell.
Targeting our business and micro-credit programs at women
While women perform up to 80% of farm work in the developing world, their role in off-farm small business activity is also critical. Small increases in a woman's income have a disproportionately greater impact on the health and wellbeing of her family. Because of this, we support women to set up small businesses through a large network of credit programs, and we continue to offer support long after the loan has been repaid.
Helping farmers cope with the effects of climate change
Small farmers in Africa - where just 4% of agricultural land is irrigated - are among the most vulnerable to climate change. We work with farming communities to develop ways of adapting to the changes in rainfall patterns and in temperatures - through drought resistant or fast-growing crops varieties and the management of water resources - so that as growing patterns change, they can continue to produce enough to feed themselves and have a sustainable livelihood.
Self Help Africa - Food, and a future
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