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We use markets to eradicate hunger permanently. We make it possible for even the tiniest of farmers to participate in highly profitable agribusiness. We create a "market bundle" that contains all the pieces our farmers need to plant, grow, and sell new crops that multiply the value of their harvest. By linking our farmers with markets, we help them to create a permanent solution to the hunger problem.
The first component of the "market bundle" is to empower local groups of farmers. We work with existing women’s self-help groups (most of the farming in Kenya is done by women). These groups "pre-organize" a member base for us. Together, we recruit, screen, and sub-divide farmers into stable, five-member sub-groups. Bringing farmers together makes it possible for them to reach enough scale to economically interact with markets.
The second piece of the "market bundle" is farm education, provided by our field officer. We bring the advice of professional agronomists to the field of One Acre farmers. Over time, we teach them to grow higher-value crops that have ten times the profit potential of their current crops. The knowledge we plant with them means a permanent, lasting solution to hunger.
The third piece of the "market bundle" is capital, environmentally-sensitive planting materials and fertilizer. Our planting materials are a significant improvement on old food kernels currently used for seed – commercial seed is professionally graded, stored, and selected. Our fertilizer provides badly-needed nutrients to soil that has been stripped bare over decades of poor management. Together with education, these basic farm inputs have the potential to unlock the true potential of a farmer's field.
Lastly, we connect our farmers with output markets. Currently, our members are unable to sell any crop surplus, making it impossible for them to get cash for their crops. We act as a bulk-selling agent, allowing our members to access prices that are often 2-3 times what they could get otherwise. This cash creates a savings-and-investment cycle that leads to self-driven, permanent growth out of hunger.
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