At LDC, we believe that shaping a more resilient future of food and agriculture starts at the heart of the food chain, with the local farming communities whose production we all depend on.
Through strategic partnerships, we engage with and support these communities to adopt sustainable agricultural practices that not only safeguard natural resources but also have the potential to significantly enhance farmers’ livelihoods.
Our partnership with the Louis Dreyfus Foundation reflects our commitment to championing sustainable agricultural development worldwide.
In 2023, the Foundation completed its seven-year Farmers Resilience program with French development organization Inter Aide, aiming to support smallholder farmers in Southern Ethiopia to build resilience to climate change and improve food security by adopting soil conservation and crop diversification practices.
Initially, farmers were encouraged to plant fodder grasses on anti-erosive structures and unproductive areas of their farm. The fodder, used as cattle feed by the farmers and sold locally for extra income, helped retain moisture in the land and combat soil erosion.
In the next stage of the program, integrated green manure practices to further improve soil quality and productivity, perennial grasses and trees were planted as additional protection against erosion, and vegetable planting was encouraged to further diversify farmers’ income.
Project Impacts
The program engaged directly with some 22,800 farmers over seven years, while indirectly benefiting more than 124,000 lives.
Not only did the project help create a vibrant community of practice, which rallied other farmers to the program, but it succeeded in increasing local agricultural productivity by 20%.
The cumulative effect of these interventions has led to a significant uplift in livelihoods, while helping to safeguard the environment and address future farming challenges.
Thanks to this project, and others run by the Foundation in southern Ethiopia, local communities have also gained access to safe water, with all the attendant health benefits.
Creating Lasting Change
A detailed handover to local communities and authorities has helped ensure that the program’s activities continue to be rolled out in new regions across southern Ethiopia. This successful transition was possible thanks to the involvement of traditional community organizations – iddirs – and volunteer lead farmers.
The practice of knowledge transfer has enabled the creation of lasting change and sustainable outcomes, reinforced local self-reliance and continued agricultural advancement, which are LDC’s and the Foundation’s common goal.
Our work in Ethiopia is just one of many examples of how LDC and the Louis Dreyfus Foundation are driving positive change in farming communities around the world.
Learn more about our initiatives and how you can join us in our work to create a sustainable future for agriculture.
