Our partnership with Jane Goodall Institute

For many farmers in East Africa, trying to choose between farming in their own fields and working as labor in someone else’s field is a choice they must make on a daily basis. Working in their own fields exposes them to various risks such as pest infestation, crop damage, low yields & meager incomes while working in someone else’s field assures them of earning a square meal for their family.

 

With no alternative source of income, many farmers choose to look to the forest as a source of food and income. They are forced to make the unsustainable choice of hunting the forest for bush meat, fruits and herbs or cutting down trees for selling wood or poaching wildlife. A choice which leads to an unintended yet catastrophic end: deforestation, destruction of natural habitats and extinction of wildlife species.

As a company conceived & rooted in Africa, with Agriculture & Agri-processing as our forte, it was imminent that we find a way forward for helping the communities and stakeholders we work with. We believe that sustainability lies in the growth of not just an individual or an establishment, but in the holistic growth of the entire community.

We have recently partnered with the world-renowned Jane Goodall Institute, Tanzania, who, over the last few decades, have been tirelessly working towards conservation and protection of natural resources like the forests and its natural inhabitants. Together we aim to leverage our respective strengths and knowledge to drive impact in Conservation and Community Development.

Farmers from most communities are unable to sustain themselves from their agricultural activities due to various factors such as: lack of knowledge, unavailability of funds, seeds, irrigation & market information and falling prey to predatory bulk traders. We aim to help farmers adopt a holistic method of farming which is rooted in respecting the fundamentals of nature, is environment friendly & sustainable. A method that helps the farmers meet their own needs as well as the needs of the communities and customers they serve. Through customer support we further aim to develop detailed community profiles and establish local cooperatives. Based on fair trade practices we strive to make synergistic sourcing agreements with these cooperatives. These off-take agreements then act as a credible collateral for these communities, and helps them become bank worthy for micro and agri loans, improving their access to capital, raising their life profiles and ultimately moving them away from Sustenance and towards Sustainability.