Empowering Smallholder Farmers Through Value Creation
At Walisha, our mission is to create economic, social and environmental value for Africa’s smallholder farmers. We firmly believe these hardworking stewards of the land represent the future of African agriculture if given the right opportunities.
Our approach focuses on upgrading the entire small farm value chain. We boost productivity and resilience through farmer training programs on sustainable farming techniques, facilitating access to quality inputs, and expanding irrigation infrastructure. Reducing post-harvest loss is crucial, so we enable investments in community storage facilities and improved distribution.
Linking smallholders to fair and reliable markets is essential for better income, so Walisha develops inclusive business partnerships with food industry players to integrate smallholders into modern value chains. We also increase access to inventory financing using stored produce as collateral through innovative warehouse receipt schemes with financial institutions.
Capacity building runs through all we do – from mobilizing farmers into cooperatives to give them collective bargaining power, to inspiring educated youth to launch market-led agribusiness startups applying emerging technologies.
Policy advocacy at regional bodies lobbies for increased budgetary priorities and investments into smallholder agriculture. We firmly believe only coordinated efforts across the entire value chain, when coupled with youth engagement and policy reforms, can sustainably transform smallholder livelihoods at scale.
So if you are a smallholder farmer, or care about their socioeconomic advancement, join us in this mission to firmly root their progress within resilient, prosperous rural communities across Africa.
Towards a Food-Secure Africa – A hunger free Africa
At Walisha, our overarching vision is of a prosperous, hunger-free Africa where smallholder farmers thrive and drive agricultural transformation. We believe that Africa has the resources and potential not just to feed itself, but become a breadbasket for the world. However, today, one in three Africans face chronic hunger while food imports swell.
Turning the tide requires holistic, community-driven growth of smallholder agriculture. Walisha’s integrated model strengthens the entire value chain – from boosting on-farm productivity and climate resilience to reducing post-harvest losses; from connecting farmers to markets to inspiring youth-led agribusiness innovation.
Our approach transfers knowledge and ownership of solutions to farmer networks and cooperatives. We lobby policymakers for increased financing and smarter investments into smallholder priorities through debt relief and progressive taxation.
With Africa holding 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, the ingredients for a well-nourished continent are all there. Unleashing the potential requires patient, localized work, with communities in the driver’s seat.
At Walisha, we envision self-reliant farming communities dotting Africa’s landscape – youth applying technology to grow enough nutritious food to feed themselves, their nations and the world. A future without hunger or malnutrition.
The task is monumental but not impossible. With public, private and community partnerships, and unwavering commitment, an Africa without hunger can become reality through the efforts of her resilient farmers. Walisha invites all who share this vision to join hands in enabling African agriculture to feed the continent and fuel prosperity.
If you share our belief in an Africa where abundant agriculture provides food security and dignity for all, join us in cultivating this vision
Agricultural Development and Rural Prosperity
At Walisha, we understand that creating widespread and lasting improvement in smallholder farmer livelihoods requires tackling interlinked challenges across the entire agricultural value chain in a coordinated manner. Our integrated programs address the full spectrum – from enhancing on-farm productivity and climate resilience to reducing post-harvest losses through better storage and distribution while connecting farmers to markets and financing.
Central to the approach is our conviction that farming communities themselves must drive and sustain growth. So even as we provide vital upgrading support, Walisha focuses on transferring knowledge through farmer networks, empowering cooperatives to own infrastructure like irrigation and warehouses and inspiring youth to launch market-oriented agribusinesses with cutting-edge solutions.
This model of community-centric development is underpinned by high-level advocacy to my mainstream agricultural transformation in national policies and redirect budgets through debt relief mechanisms into the sector. Our farm-to-table programs at one end and continental policy lobbying at the other apply patient but firm pressure at grassroot and institutional levels simultaneously to shift systems.
The quest for rural community prosperity, stability and self-reliance sits at the soul of Walisha’s strategy. We believe only holistic, localized interventions supported by advocacy to enable larger financing and policy ecosystems can unlock lasting betterment of smallholder lives and environments across Africa. Partnerships to actualize this vision are most welcome.
Want to join?
Join the movement. Help us add value to smallholder farmers. Get involved with Walisha today!