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New survey shows that fertilizer costs and labor worries are among the most pressing day-to-day challenges for smallholder farmers in India. Therefore, they are prioritizing financial stability and risk management in their daily operations. Yet, despite facing difficult circumstances, Indian smallholders are more positive about the future of farming than their global peers.
In 2023, the Better Life Farming Alliance’s global partner Bayer commissioned an agency to independently interview 800 farmers in 8 countries, Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kenya, Ukraine, and the United States, to reveal the challenges farmers face around the world. In addition to the global <a href="https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/farmer-voice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Farmer Voice Survey</a>, Bayer interviewed 2,056 Indian smallholder farmers in India. These farmers were associated with Better Life Farming Centers, Bayer-supported Farmer Producer Organizations, or Bayer’s Sustainable Rice Program.
The results showed clearly: Smallholders in India are on the frontlines of climate change and affected by geopolitics – and yet, they remain positive about the future. ​
Currently, their biggest challenges are high labor and fertilizer costs. Yet they are also impacted by climate change: Many of them expect increased crop failure (43%), reduced crop yields (42%), and higher pest pressures (31%) because of changing weather. Unlike commercial and large-scale growers, the smallholders we interviewed in India are focused on mitigating risks, prioritizing financial security through insurance (26%) and infrastructure (21%). ​
Indian smallholders deal with a lot of variables in a complex and changing environment. Labor and fertilizer costs are the most pressing day-to-day challenges. Looking at what is ahead, they expect increased crop failure (43%), reduced crop yields (42%), and higher pest pressures (31%) because of changing weather.  ​
When asked about the future, 60% said they would benefit most from access to digital technologies and modern crop protection. And despite all the challenges, Indian smallholders remain optimistic: 8 in every 10 farmers feel positive about the future of farming. ​
Better Life Farming will continue to support these smallholder farmers and their hopes for the future. With the dedication of our colleagues and partners the BLF community has grown to more than 2,500 centers in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mexico and Honduras, reaching more than 1 million farmers (estimated). And this community continues to grow. With initial pilot centers in Tanzania and Ivory Coast, Better Life Farming is expanding to Africa and aims at empowering even more smallholder farmers across the globe.

New survey shows that fertilizer costs and labor worries are among the most pressing day-to-day challenges for smallholder farmers in India. Therefore, they are prioritizing financial stability and risk management in their daily operations. Yet, despite facing difficult circumstances, Indian smallholders are more positive about the future of farming than their global peers.
In 2023, the Better Life Farming Alliance’s global partner Bayer commissioned an agency to independently interview 800 farmers in 8 countries, Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kenya, Ukraine, and the United States, to reveal the challenges farmers face around the world. In addition to the global <a href="https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/farmer-voice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Farmer Voice Survey</a>, Bayer interviewed 2,056 Indian smallholder farmers in India. These farmers were associated with Better Life Farming Centers, Bayer-supported Farmer Producer Organizations, or Bayer’s Sustainable Rice Program.
The results showed clearly: Smallholders in India are on the frontlines of climate change and affected by geopolitics – and yet, they remain positive about the future. ​
Currently, their biggest challenges are high labor and fertilizer costs. Yet they are also impacted by climate change: Many of them expect increased crop failure (43%), reduced crop yields (42%), and higher pest pressures (31%) because of changing weather. Unlike commercial and large-scale growers, the smallholders we interviewed in India are focused on mitigating risks, prioritizing financial security through insurance (26%) and infrastructure (21%). ​
Indian smallholders deal with a lot of variables in a complex and changing environment. Labor and fertilizer costs are the most pressing day-to-day challenges. Looking at what is ahead, they expect increased crop failure (43%), reduced crop yields (42%), and higher pest pressures (31%) because of changing weather.  ​
When asked about the future, 60% said they would benefit most from access to digital technologies and modern crop protection. And despite all the challenges, Indian smallholders remain optimistic: 8 in every 10 farmers feel positive about the future of farming. ​
Better Life Farming will continue to support these smallholder farmers and their hopes for the future. With the dedication of our colleagues and partners the BLF community has grown to more than 2,500 centers in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mexico and Honduras, reaching more than 1 million farmers (estimated). And this community continues to grow. With initial pilot centers in Tanzania and Ivory Coast, Better Life Farming is expanding to Africa and aims at empowering even more smallholder farmers across the globe.

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Survey shows: Indian Smallholders are Reducing Risks

As capacity building is key to building a holistic ecosystem turning smallholder farmers’ businesses into commercially viable and sustainable farming businesses, Bayer is keen to understand how specifically the training on responsible use of crop protection products would impact the daily farm work of smallholders. Joining forces with Dr. Amitava Rakshit, Associate Professor at the Institute of Ag Sciences at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, the outcomes of the study by Dr. Rakshit (August 2023) are very promising and reveal the effectiveness of targeted trainings on behavior change.
Thirty BLF agri-entrepreneurs/center owners received face-to-face training on safe use by Bayer’s Product Stewardship team in November 2022 and, in turn, trained smallholder farmers at their BLF centers. The 2.5-hour training course covers aspects such as the safe handling of crop protection products during use, transport, storage and disposal, the correct use of protective clothing and equipment, and first aid measures in the event of emergencies. The agri-entrepreneurs interviewed the training participants before and after the training regarding key content of the training as well their adoption of learned practices in the daily farming work.
Overall, major safe-use training targets were achieved: After the training 96% of BLF farmers confirm their awareness of counterfeit products, with 81% rejecting them, as opposed to only 9% before the training. 96% of the farmers now read the label instructions (vs. 12% pre-training), and 92% follow the prescribed dosage (vs. 77% pre-training). Post training, none of the farmers mentioned that labels were difficult to understand whereas almost half of the group found it challenging to understand the labels before the training. 

More than half of the farmers did not use to wear any type of protective gadgets, predominantly due to a lack of availability at nearby local stores, and if they did, they oftentimes used towels (gamcha) or some kind of body covering while applying crop protection products. Based on the learnings from the training on how to protect the own health, all BLF farmers now wear the most used gadgets such as body covering, gloves, googles, and masks.

As capacity building is key to building a holistic ecosystem turning smallholder farmers’ businesses into commercially viable and sustainable farming businesses, Bayer is keen to understand how specifically the training on responsible use of crop protection products would impact the daily farm work of smallholders. Joining forces with Dr. Amitava Rakshit, Associate Professor at the Institute of Ag Sciences at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, the outcomes of the study by Dr. Rakshit (August 2023) are very promising and reveal the effectiveness of targeted trainings on behavior change.
Thirty BLF agri-entrepreneurs/center owners received face-to-face training on safe use by Bayer’s Product Stewardship team in November 2022 and, in turn, trained smallholder farmers at their BLF centers. The 2.5-hour training course covers aspects such as the safe handling of crop protection products during use, transport, storage and disposal, the correct use of protective clothing and equipment, and first aid measures in the event of emergencies. The agri-entrepreneurs interviewed the training participants before and after the training regarding key content of the training as well their adoption of learned practices in the daily farming work.
Overall, major safe-use training targets were achieved: After the training 96% of BLF farmers confirm their awareness of counterfeit products, with 81% rejecting them, as opposed to only 9% before the training. 96% of the farmers now read the label instructions (vs. 12% pre-training), and 92% follow the prescribed dosage (vs. 77% pre-training). Post training, none of the farmers mentioned that labels were difficult to understand whereas almost half of the group found it challenging to understand the labels before the training.

More than half of the farmers did not use to wear any type of protective gadgets, predominantly due to a lack of availability at nearby local stores, and if they did, they oftentimes used towels (gamcha) or some kind of body covering while applying crop protection products. Based on the learnings from the training on how to protect the own health, all BLF farmers now wear the most used gadgets such as body covering, gloves, googles, and masks.

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Almost half of the farmers now triple rinse the empty pesticide containers and collect them (vs. &lt;5% pre-training) instead of dumping them on the farm or using them for household waste, which represents a route of serious non-occupational human exposure. 

When asked for the value they derived from the training, almost two third of farmers mentioned the increased knowledge on responsible use, followed by risk reduction, reduction of operational costs, and increased yield. More than 60% of farmers confirmed they have developed the technical skills to apply crop protection safely on their farms and yet would wish to repeat the training once every year (58%) or once more (40%) to gain more practical experience. 

Almost 90% of participants agreed that their attitude towards responsible use has changed positively. The same share of farmers mention that they apply the new knowledge to their daily farming work, so for 80% the quality of farm work has increased because of the training, and 86% confirm they now feel much more comfortable doing their farm work and applying crop protection. Farmers expressed that this training stood out from others due to its focus primarily on farmers&#8217; health and quality of life; findings suggest that they have developed a clear understanding of the importance of safe use for human health and food safety. 

The improved perception of safe-use practices and the high training adoption rates among BLF participants underline the efficacy of Bayer’s safe-use trainings and showcase the realized impact of safe-use capacity building with smallholders. 

In 2022 Bayer reached around 2.7 million smallholder farmers through targeted safe-use training courses. Training activities focus on countries where there are no statutory certification requirements for farmers concerning the safe handling of crop protection products. Our partnerships allow us to increase the reach of the activities and conduct joint events, for example with universities, information centers or local, regional and international associations. We continuously strive to increase our training outreach, also at our BLF centers where we will explore opportunities for easy access to affordable protective gadgets and empty-container collection. 

¹ Self-responded questionnaire study with a total of 360 farmers pre-training and 270 farmers post-training, consisting of two study arms: (1) smallholder farmers attached to a BLF center, (2) smallholder farmers collaborating with undergraduate agriculture students at Banaras Hindu University as part of Bayer’s Safe-Use Ambassador program (<a href="https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/safe-use-ambassadors#:~:text=The%20Safe%20Use%20Ambassador%20program%20especially%20targets%20countries,extension%20workers%2C%20national%20agriculture%20authorities%2C%20and%20SMART%20growers." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source</a>)
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Almost half of the farmers now triple rinse the empty pesticide containers and collect them (vs. &lt;5% pre-training) instead of dumping them on the farm or using them for household waste, which represents a route of serious non-occupational human exposure.

When asked for the value they derived from the training, almost two third of farmers mentioned the increased knowledge on responsible use, followed by risk reduction, reduction of operational costs, and increased yield. More than 60% of farmers confirmed they have developed the technical skills to apply crop protection safely on their farms and yet would wish to repeat the training once every year (58%) or once more (40%) to gain more practical experience.

Almost 90% of participants agreed that their attitude towards responsible use has changed positively. The same share of farmers mention that they apply the new knowledge to their daily farming work, so for 80% the quality of farm work has increased because of the training, and 86% confirm they now feel much more comfortable doing their farm work and applying crop protection. Farmers expressed that this training stood out from others due to its focus primarily on farmers' health and quality of life; findings suggest that they have developed a clear understanding of the importance of safe use for human health and food safety.

The improved perception of safe-use practices and the high training adoption rates among BLF participants underline the efficacy of Bayer’s safe-use trainings and showcase the realized impact of safe-use capacity building with smallholders.


In 2022 Bayer reached around 2.7 million smallholder farmers through targeted safe-use training courses. Training activities focus on countries where there are no statutory certification requirements for farmers concerning the safe handling of crop protection products. Our partnerships allow us to increase the reach of the activities and conduct joint events, for example with universities, information centers or local, regional and international associations. We continuously strive to increase our training outreach, also at our BLF centers where we will explore opportunities for easy access to affordable protective gadgets and empty-container collection.


¹ Self-responded questionnaire study with a total of 360 farmers pre-training and 270 farmers post-training, consisting of two study arms: (1) smallholder farmers attached to a BLF center, (2) smallholder farmers collaborating with undergraduate agriculture students at Banaras Hindu University as part of Bayer’s Safe-Use Ambassador program (<a href="https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/safe-use-ambassadors#:~:text=The%20Safe%20Use%20Ambassador%20program%20especially%20targets%20countries,extension%20workers%2C%20national%20agriculture%20authorities%2C%20and%20SMART%20growers." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source</a>)

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Experimental study in India confirms increased awareness and high adoption of responsible use practices by smallholder farmers after Bayer’s safe use training

Over two hundred guests from global and local partners, government and other stakeholder organizations came together on August 1st to celebrate the first Better Life Farming centers in West Africa.
Smallholder farmers are the backbone of the world’s food systems, with 550 million smallholders producing up to 50% of the food consumed in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). Yet, they face substantial obstacles in their farming operations, including limited access to markets, finance, quality inputs and knowledge on good agricultural farming practices.
The nine newly established Better Life Farming centers, called Moaye-Hêrê, will help to facilitate access to smallholder farmers in the north, north-east and east of Ivory Coast and empower them to build sustainable farming businesses. Many of them grow maize, rice, and cassava as well as various cash-crops like cashew nuts, peanuts, cocoa, and chilies.

The BLF centers launched as Moaye Hêrê in Ivory Coast, are a holistic value chain engagement bringing together local cooperatives and partners in addressing smallholder farmers needs from microfinance, access to quality inputs and markets and agronomic advisory services”, says Amina Dussud, Commercial director of Bayer West Central Africa.
Better Life Farming brings together all global partners, Bayer, Netafim and IFC, and local partners like Advans, Farmerline, OCP, Yara, 2Scale, Koudijs, and the Fédération des Producteurs de Maïs de Côte d’Ivoire (FEPMACI). With their joint expertise, together they offer an extensive portfolio of high-quality inputs, capacity building, finance, and off-taker solutions at each Ivorian BLF center.
During the first season, corn, a staple in Africa, will be planted and harvested. We are looking forward to seeing this succeed and remain with: “Bievenue Côte d’Ivoire”!

Bievenue Côte d’Ivoire! Better Life Farming is coming to West Africa

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The Better Life Farming (BLF) Alliance puts its commitment to help end hunger into practice. Having operated since 2018, we have witnessed and reported about filling existing voids facing smallholder enablement while meaningfully changing the lives of those involved. We have shared <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/pappu-rajesh-kumar-singh-fruits-of-success/">Pappu’s</a> or <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/farmer-balram-mahto/">Balram’s</a> success stories and, beyond that, wanted to gather feedback in a systemic way to further optimize the success of the BLF interventions at a larger scale.
For the first time, we have pulled together the views of more than 680 farmers working with the Alliance through interviews conducted by 60 Decibels with vegetable farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand1. The study provided by 60 Decibels showcases the social successes of Better Life Farming thus far in key dimensions such as crop productivity, farming income, way of farming and quality of life.

66% of farmers reported to have accessed a service like Better Life Farming for the first time. Staff outreach and field demonstrations were the top reported motivation factors among farmers for joining the program. BLF differentiates itself from other providers in the market specifically by offering comprehensive trainings and access to credit for smallholders. 74% of farmers who attended BLF trainings confirmed the usefulness of the sessions, with most farmers stating that the trainings are easy to understand and mentioning high adoption rates (57%) of BLF training knowledge to their daily farming practices.
A majority of 81% confirms that BLF puts their interests first. Most farmers (70%) feel more confident than before to invest in agriculture due to the availability of good quality inputs, access to training, new information and techniques, as well as the witnessed improved crop yield and quality. A surveyed female famer says: "After working with BLF, I am more confident about running my farm and I feel more independent."

Most smallholder farmers (74%) experienced a better way of farming working with BLF and highlight the better-quality farm inputs, the timely application of farm inputs and the adoption of improved farming technologies as drivers for this positive impact. 78% of farmers reported increased crop production, following improved productivity. “Better Life Farming is doing great work by sharing information about farming with us. This really improves productivity.” says a male farmer during the survey.
72% of farmers reported increased farming income primarily due to higher volumes sold. 71% of farmers reported an improved quality of life mainly because of increased income, the ability to afford household expenses and basic needs, and improved farm maintenance. A surveyed male farmer called out: &#8220;I am very happy that we have access to the best agricultural inputs which promotes growth and production. Not only do I have more income, but also have increased land size for farming.&#8221; More than 40% of farmers also experienced a reduction of stress levels in meeting their family needs. &#8220;I have paid my debts from the profit that I earned. In fact, a month ago my son was hospitalized, and I managed to pay for it without having to ask anyone for money.&#8221; mentions a female farmer.

Most smallholder farmers (74%) experienced a better way of farming working with BLF and highlight the better-quality farm inputs, the timely application of farm inputs and the adoption of improved farming technologies as drivers for this positive impact. 78% of farmers reported increased crop production, following improved productivity. “Better Life Farming is doing great work by sharing information about farming with us. This really improves productivity.” says a male farmer during the survey.

72% of farmers reported increased farming income primarily due to higher volumes sold. 71% of farmers reported an improved quality of life mainly because of increased income, the ability to afford household expenses and basic needs, and improved farm maintenance. A surveyed male farmer called out: "I am very happy that we have access to the best agricultural inputs which promotes growth and production. Not only do I have more income, but also have increased land size for farming." More than 40% of farmers also experienced a reduction of stress levels in meeting their family needs. "I have paid my debts from the profit that I earned. In fact, a month ago my son was hospitalized, and I managed to pay for it without having to ask anyone for money." mentions a female farmer.

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Across several dimensions, most farmers (&gt;60%) confirmed increased amounts spent on quality meals, healthcare, home improvements and children’s education – e.g., a male farmer stated, &#8220;I am taking care of child tuition and school fees. Due to the good profit, I have also changed my child&#8217;s school.”
It is thanks to our dedicated colleagues and partners on the ground that we have successfully grown BLF to &gt;2,500 centers in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mexico and Honduras, reaching more than 1 million farmers (estimated). We have just opened the first pilot centers in Tanzania to further scale the Alliance and allow our interventions to change the lives of hundreds of farmers in Africa.
¹ Lean Data Study by 60 Decibels (<a href="https://60decibels.com/">https://60decibels.com/</a>), March 2023, 684 phone interviews between October 2022 and February 2023; available on Bayer’s Smallholder Farming webpage (<a href="https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/empowering-smallholder-farmers">https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/empowering-smallholder-farmers</a>)

Across several dimensions, most farmers (&gt;60%) confirmed increased amounts spent on quality meals, healthcare, home improvements and children’s education – e.g., a male farmer stated, "I am taking care of child tuition and school fees. Due to the good profit, I have also changed my child's school.”
It is thanks to our dedicated colleagues and partners on the ground that we have successfully grown BLF to &gt;2,500 centers in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mexico and Honduras, reaching more than 1 million farmers (estimated). We have just opened the first pilot centers in Tanzania to further scale the Alliance and allow our interventions to change the lives of hundreds of farmers in Africa.
¹ Lean Data Study by 60 Decibels (<a href="https://60decibels.com/">https://60decibels.com/</a>), March 2023, 684 phone interviews between October 2022 and February 2023; available on Bayer’s Smallholder Farming webpage (<a href="https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/empowering-smallholder-farmers">https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/empowering-smallholder-farmers</a>)

Farmer voices in India confirm positive social impact of their transforming journey with Better Life Farming

In Indonesia, female farmers play a crucial role, serving as one of the key backbones of the agricultural sector. In total there are 25.4 million farmers in the country and women account for 24 percent of them. 2.8 million farming households are even led by women. However, despite their significant contribution to the agricultural landscape in Indonesia, they are facing many challenges – both within and outside of agriculture. It is not enough to support women in increasing the productivity of their farming business, addressing health issues, lack of self-care and family planning are equally as important. Which is why Better Life Farming is committed to empower women smallholder farmers – in agriculture and beyond.
Since its launch in Indonesia in 2020, Better Life Farming (BLF) has put the spotlight on the importance of female farmers to the country’s agricultural sector. As part of these efforts, Better Life Farming ensures that 21 percent of all BLF Centers are led by women agri-entrepreneurs. Additionally, the alliance focuses on supporting female farmers – and is making progress. 15 percent of all farmers engaged in the program are already women.

In Indonesia, female farmers play a crucial role, serving as one of the key backbones of the agricultural sector. In total there are 25.4 million farmers in the country and women account for 24 percent of them. 2.8 million farming households are even led by women. However, despite their significant contribution to the agricultural landscape in Indonesia, they are facing many challenges – both within and outside of agriculture. It is not enough to support women in increasing the productivity of their farming business, addressing health issues, lack of self-care and family planning are equally as important. Which is why Better Life Farming is committed to empower women smallholder farmers – in agriculture and beyond.

Since its launch in Indonesia in 2020, Better Life Farming (BLF) has put the spotlight on the importance of female farmers to the country’s agricultural sector. As part of these efforts, Better Life Farming ensures that 21 percent of all BLF Centers are led by women agri-entrepreneurs. Additionally, the alliance focuses on supporting female farmers – and is making progress. 15 percent of all farmers engaged in the program are already women.

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BLF also collaborates with <a href="https://www.aip-prisma.or.id/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PRISMA</a> (the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Promoting Rural Incomes through Support for Market in Agriculture) to promote Gender Smart Farming. The joint initiative was started in December 2022 and follows a gender-responsive approach. It addresses the gender-specific constraints faced by women and aims to support them based on their individual capabilities. To do so, 15 women agri-entrepreneurs are being trained by Better Life Farming field assistants on good agricultural practices and the BLF ecosystem. These agri-entrepreneurs will then train 500 female farmers. The project is currently being implemented in Central Java, East Java, and West Nusa Tenggara.

BLF also collaborates with <a href="https://www.aip-prisma.or.id/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PRISMA</a> (the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Promoting Rural Incomes through Support for Market in Agriculture) to promote Gender Smart Farming. The joint initiative was started in December 2022 and follows a gender-responsive approach. It addresses the gender-specific constraints faced by women and aims to support them based on their individual capabilities. To do so, 15 women agri-entrepreneurs are being trained by Better Life Farming field assistants on good agricultural practices and the BLF ecosystem. These agri-entrepreneurs will then train 500 female farmers. The project is currently being implemented in Central Java, East Java, and West Nusa Tenggara.

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Optimizing farming operations is a key pillar to significantly improve the circumstances of women farmers and empower them. However, many challenges that female farmers face daily lie outside of the agricultural sector. Health issues such as stunting and nutrient deficiencies are still prevalent in rural communities. So is a lack of self-care and knowledge and opportunities for family planning. To address these issues, Better Life Farming is implementing the Bayer for Indonesia (BISA) program in more than 600 BLF Centers in Banten, West Jaca and East Nusa Tenggara. Within these centers, women receive education and training on women’s health and self-care, information on access to family planning as well as training programs on healthy and self-care, in addition to the standard agricultural training and services. 
Since the pilot roll out at the end of 2020, more than 44,000 women farmers and farmer wives received training in BLF Centers on women’s healthcare, self-care and stunting prevention – with success. In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) the understanding of family planning has increased by 5%. The understanding of the importance of self-care has increased by 97% and the knowledge on preventing stunting in children has improved by 72% among the participants. Empowering women by providing education and access is central to Better Live Farming commitment – even outside of agriculture.

Optimizing farming operations is a key pillar to significantly improve the circumstances of women farmers and empower them. However, many challenges that female farmers face daily lie outside of the agricultural sector. Health issues such as stunting and nutrient deficiencies are still prevalent in rural communities. So is a lack of self-care and knowledge and opportunities for family planning. To address these issues, Better Life Farming is implementing the Bayer for Indonesia (BISA) program in more than 600 BLF Centers in Banten, West Jaca and East Nusa Tenggara. Within these centers, women receive education and training on women’s health and self-care, information on access to family planning as well as training programs on healthy and self-care, in addition to the standard agricultural training and services. 

Since the pilot roll out at the end of 2020, more than 44,000 women farmers and farmer wives received training in BLF Centers on women’s healthcare, self-care and stunting prevention – with success. In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) the understanding of family planning has increased by 5%. The understanding of the importance of self-care has increased by 97% and the knowledge on preventing stunting in children has improved by 72% among the participants. Empowering women by providing education and access is central to Better Live Farming commitment – even outside of agriculture.

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Agriculture and Beyond: Empowering Women in Indonesia

A virtual launch event, that took place April 20, officially marked the beginning of Better Life Farming in Africa. Partners, stakeholders, and local authorities came together to celebrate this achievement. “The world is becoming ever more complex – so keeping a clear focus on where we can contribute most to ensure basic needs is key. Our mission is to empower smallholder farmers in rural communities around the world. With the expansion of Better Life Farming to Africa we will further support the global efforts for food security”, says Lino Dias, Vice President Smallholder Farming at Bayer.

A virtual launch event, that took place April 20, officially marked the beginning of Better Life Farming in Africa. Partners, stakeholders, and local authorities came together to celebrate this achievement. “The world is becoming ever more complex – so keeping a clear focus on where we can contribute most to ensure basic needs is key. Our mission is to empower smallholder farmers in rural communities around the world. With the expansion of Better Life Farming to Africa we will further support the global efforts for food security”, says Lino Dias, Vice President Smallholder Farming at Bayer.

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The Better Life Farming pilot in Tanzania joins together the alliance’s global partners, Bayer, Netafim and IFC, and local partners like TAHA, Balton Tanzania and Yara. Together, they will offer high-quality inputs, advisory and advanced agricultural solutions and will provide farmers with access to trainings, technical support, and market linkage. Advisory and training will be free of charge for eligible farmers in the Mwanza and Kahama districts, where the newly inaugurated BLF Centers are based in.

The Better Life Farming pilot in Tanzania joins together the alliance’s global partners, Bayer, Netafim and IFC, and local partners like TAHA, Balton Tanzania and Yara. Together, they will offer high-quality inputs, advisory and advanced agricultural solutions and will provide farmers with access to trainings, technical support, and market linkage. Advisory and training will be free of charge for eligible farmers in the Mwanza and Kahama districts, where the newly inaugurated BLF Centers are based in.

What’s good about the BLF approach is that it’s knowledge heavy and asset light – which means it is an approach well-suited to replication and scaling. And looking at the challenges of agriculture, we can’t rely on marginal changes. We need something big and significant – and I think BLF can actually offer that. We’re crossing a significant threshold as an alliance opening the first BLF Centers in Africa.


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Global Program Lead for Smallholder Supply Chains, at International Finance Corporation (IFC)

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The Mwanza and Kahama districts are located in the North of Tanzania. They belong to the so-called Lake Zone which spans the bordering region of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. Subsistence farming practices dominate the agricultural landscape. These smallholder farmers are facing severe challenges. Inadequate infrastructure investments, limited access to agri-inputs and financing as well as limited technological facilities and trade support restrict their economic potential. As farmers heavily rely on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources, climate change poses an additional threat.
The Better Life Farming alliance supports farmers in mitigating these challenges. During the first year, tomato seeds will be planted and harvested. For now, we’re excited to see what the future holds and remain with: “Karibu Tanzania!”

The Mwanza and Kahama districts are located in the North of Tanzania. They belong to the so-called Lake Zone which spans the bordering region of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. Subsistence farming practices dominate the agricultural landscape. These smallholder farmers are facing severe challenges. Inadequate infrastructure investments, limited access to agri-inputs and financing as well as limited technological facilities and trade support restrict their economic potential. As farmers heavily rely on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources, climate change poses an additional threat.

The Better Life Farming alliance supports farmers in mitigating these challenges. During the first year, tomato seeds will be planted and harvested. For now, we’re excited to see what the future holds and remain with: “Karibu Tanzania!”

Welcome Tanzania! Expanding Better Life Farming to Africa

Rain-fed irrigation has become increasingly challenging due to climate change and the associated climate challenges. Longer dry seasons and less precipitation pose an existential risk to smallholders and global food security. But even when the rain falls in the necessary amount for crops to grow well, rain-fed irrigation limits farmers’ business opportunities. Having to rely on the rainy seasons forces smallholders to plant and harvest at the same time. This creates “glut seasons” in local markets. The surplus of crops at harvest time leads produce prices to plummet. This is precisely where irrigation technology comes into play. It not only allows farmers to protect their crops against dry spells and therefore to become more climate resilient but also enables them to plant outside of the common season. This enables farmers to harvest at different times during the year and earn better prices for their harvests. Furthermore, irrigation technology is vital to increase efficiency in using an increasingly scarce resource like water and is an important pillar for implementing <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/driving-yields-with-sustainable-practices/">sustainable agricultural practices</a>.

Rain-fed irrigation has become increasingly challenging due to climate change and the associated climate challenges. Longer dry seasons and less precipitation pose an existential risk to smallholders and global food security. But even when the rain falls in the necessary amount for crops to grow well, rain-fed irrigation limits farmers’ business opportunities. Having to rely on the rainy seasons forces smallholders to plant and harvest at the same time. This creates “glut seasons” in local markets. The surplus of crops at harvest time leads produce prices to plummet. This is precisely where irrigation technology comes into play. It not only allows farmers to protect their crops against dry spells and therefore to become more climate resilient but also enables them to plant outside of the common season. This enables farmers to harvest at different times during the year and earn better prices for their harvests. Furthermore, irrigation technology is vital to increase efficiency in using an increasingly scarce resource like water and is an important pillar for implementing <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/driving-yields-with-sustainable-practices/">sustainable agricultural practices</a>.

In an effort to prevent further depletion of ground water reserves and to encourage the efficient use of water resources in the agricultural sector, the Indian Ministry of Agriculture has continuously promoted irrigation technologies through subsidy programs since 2006. While these programs have certainly made a difference, nevertheless the distribution of irrigation technologies among Indian smallholder farmers remains low. But why is that? If more smallholders are to use such technologies in the future, we need to understand what keeps them from using these innovations now. Netafim, a global BLF Alliance partner, has taken on this task. The close exchange with farmers, that is an integral part of the community level approach of Better Life Farming (BLF), has allowed the company to gain valuable insights into the hurdles Indian smallholders still face today when it comes to adapting irrigation technology.

Netafim identified three key challenges that are keeping smallholder farmers from using irrigation systems:  For one, the large upfront payments necessary to purchase the technology is the biggest barrier for smallholders – even despite government subsidies. This is followed by a lack of knowledge and understanding of how to apply for government support. To address the latter, BLF trained its center owners and Agri-Consultants on the government subsidy programs and the associated processes. With that, they can now raise awareness with farmers that qualify and support them in applying to the relevant government support. Additionally, smallholder farmers require more flexible and portable irrigation system as the use cases are different than the large farmers. However to create a scale, there is an entry barrier due to upfront investment in the irrigation system. To further address the issue of upfront investment, especially in innovative irrigation systems that are tailored to smallholder needs, Netafim partnered with financial partners of BLF alliance to provide fast and fair credit programs to smallholders who wish to invest in irrigation technology

Netafim identified three key challenges that are keeping smallholder farmers from using irrigation systems:  For one, the large upfront payments necessary to purchase the technology is the biggest barrier for smallholders – even despite government subsidies. This is followed by a lack of knowledge and understanding of how to apply for government support. To address the latter, BLF trained its center owners and Agri-Consultants on the government subsidy programs and the associated processes. With that, they can now raise awareness with farmers that qualify and support them in applying to the relevant government support. Additionally, smallholder farmers require more flexible and portable irrigation system as the use cases are different than the large farmers. However to create a scale, there is an entry barrier due to upfront investment in the irrigation system. To further address the issue of upfront investment, especially in innovative irrigation systems that are tailored to smallholder needs, Netafim partnered with financial partners of BLF alliance to provide fast and fair credit programs to smallholders who wish to invest in irrigation technology

Aside from providing support to finance the purchase of innovative technologies, Netafim also adapted the product portfolio to better meet smallholder needs. During the exchange with BLF smallholders in India, we learned that conventional irrigation systems aren’t always applicable in smallholder settings. As most smallholders cultivate land of two hectares or less, they need a technology that not only works on small fields but is also portable. Smallholders at our BLF Centers and model farms repeatedly asked for irrigation technology to be easily un- and re-installable, so that it can be used on different plots. With these insights Netafim adapted their product offering to better fit the existing needs. They have introduced a FlexNet based irrigation technology that is flexible, compact and lightweight and enables easy installment and retrieval. The program, which has so far covered 2000 farmers in India, is expected to see a ten times higher impact once the new product line is adopted along with the new credit facility.
This is a great example of how working closely with and listening to smallholders enables us to further refine the solutions we offer in BLF to best fit smallholder needs and maximize the benefits for them. Much how the new irrigation systems will enable smallholders to plant and sustain their crops according to their needs, independent from weather, while maximizing their output using less water.

Aside from providing support to finance the purchase of innovative technologies, Netafim also adapted the product portfolio to better meet smallholder needs. During the exchange with BLF smallholders in India, we learned that conventional irrigation systems aren’t always applicable in smallholder settings. As most smallholders cultivate land of two hectares or less, they need a technology that not only works on small fields but is also portable. Smallholders at our BLF Centers and model farms repeatedly asked for irrigation technology to be easily un- and re-installable, so that it can be used on different plots. With these insights Netafim adapted their product offering to better fit the existing needs. They have introduced a FlexNet based irrigation technology that is flexible, compact and lightweight and enables easy installment and retrieval. The program, which has so far covered 2000 farmers in India, is expected to see a ten times higher impact once the new product line is adopted along with the new credit facility.

This is a great example of how working closely with and listening to smallholders enables us to further refine the solutions we offer in BLF to best fit smallholder needs and maximize the benefits for them. Much how the new irrigation systems will enable smallholders to plant and sustain their crops according to their needs, independent from weather, while maximizing their output using less water.

Making Water Reliable: Irrigation Technology and Smallholder Farming

One year ago, Better Life Farming (BLF) <a href="https://www.bayer.com/media/en-us/the-better-life-farming-alliance-launches-in-latin-america/">arrived in Latin America</a> with the slogan “Cultivando Mejores Vidas” (Growing Better Lives). Better Life Farming joins together local partners like Bayer, AMSA, Netafim, and Yara Mexico to offer excellent agri-inputs and crop advisory in remote rural areas through strategically located <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/welcome-to-the-farm/">BLF Centers</a>.

One year ago, Better Life Farming (BLF) <a href="https://www.bayer.com/media/en-us/the-better-life-farming-alliance-launches-in-latin-america/">arrived in Latin America</a> with the slogan “Cultivando Mejores Vidas” (Growing Better Lives). Better Life Farming joins together local partners like Bayer, AMSA, Netafim, and Yara Mexico to offer excellent agri-inputs and crop advisory in remote rural areas through strategically located <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/welcome-to-the-farm/">BLF Centers</a>.

In these same centers, partners like Banco Azteca, International Finance Corporation and FIRA are helping to develop financial inclusion ecosystems in the local communities. The BLF Centers, which are run by local entrepreneurs, offer not only high-quality inputs and services, but also connect farmers to trainings, markets, technical support, advisory, and advanced agricultural solutions &#8211; everything free of charge.

In these same centers, partners like Banco Azteca, International Finance Corporation and FIRA are helping to develop financial inclusion ecosystems in the local communities. The BLF Centers, which are run by local entrepreneurs, offer not only high-quality inputs and services, but also connect farmers to trainings, markets, technical support, advisory, and advanced agricultural solutions - everything free of charge.

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BLF - Wendy Carranza

Within only one year, the number of operational BLF Centers in the region grew rapidly from 15 to 55 centers, with 38 in Mexico and 17 in Honduras. These centers are already changing lives by providing tailored and holistic solutions to smallholders and their communities. The new BLF geographies not only bring in new farmers to the BLF ecosystem and new crops but also more representation.

Within only one year, the number of operational BLF Centers in the region grew rapidly from 15 to 55 centers, with 38 in Mexico and 17 in Honduras. These centers are already changing lives by providing tailored and holistic solutions to smallholders and their communities. The new BLF geographies not only bring in new farmers to the BLF ecosystem and new crops but also more representation.

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BLF in Latin America

Empowering Women to Change Lives for the Better

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<h6 class="has-text-align-center">Empowering Women to Change Lives for the Better</h6>

So far, BLF has especially given greater opportunities to women, helping them run their own businesses and having a greater say in farming and business decisions in their local community. Today, 80% of Agri-Entrepreneurs in Mexico and Honduras are women.  Women shop managers not only empower agri-entrepreneurs and their families but also make BLF solutions much more readily accessible for women farmers.

So far, BLF has especially given greater opportunities to women, helping them run their own businesses and having a greater say in farming and business decisions in their local community. Today, 80% of Agri-Entrepreneurs in Mexico and Honduras are women.  Women shop managers not only empower agri-entrepreneurs and their families but also make BLF solutions much more readily accessible for women farmers.

One of the many lives that this project has changed is that of María Reyna Sorcia. She is the manager of the kiosk Cultivando Mejores Vidas (BLF) in the agricultural colony Santa María, in Córdoba, Veracruz. She is 45 years old, takes care of her home and supports her husband in the fields. During harvest time, they work ase coffee collectors.

One of the many lives that this project has changed is that of María Reyna Sorcia. She is the manager of the kiosk Cultivando Mejores Vidas (BLF) in the agricultural colony Santa María, in Córdoba, Veracruz. She is 45 years old, takes care of her home and supports her husband in the fields. During harvest time, they work ase coffee collectors.

In Santa Maria, when there is no harvest, the men of the community are left without work. Then, they’re forced to migrate to other places to secure an income and make ends meet. As a result, the fields are abandoned. Since women were not trained to work the fields, families were left in need of support. Now, her BLF Center has given María Reyna the possibility to support her family as an administrator and more importantly, she has helped promote information and train women on good agricultural practices, empowering them to get ahead and encourage them to take on the tasks in the field by themselves.

In Santa Maria, when there is no harvest, the men of the community are left without work. Then, they’re forced to migrate to other places to secure an income and make ends meet. As a result, the fields are abandoned. Since women were not trained to work the fields, families were left in need of support. Now, her BLF Center has given María Reyna the possibility to support her family as an administrator and more importantly, she has helped promote information and train women on good agricultural practices, empowering them to get ahead and encourage them to take on the tasks in the field by themselves.

Maria’s actions as a BLF agri-entrepreneur are giving rise to much deeper transformations of communities, customs, and the possibilities of a better life. And Maria is only the beginning of Better Life Farming in Latin America.

Maria’s actions as a BLF agri-entrepreneur are giving rise to much deeper transformations of communities, customs, and the possibilities of a better life. And Maria is only the beginning of Better Life Farming in Latin America.

Celebrating One Year of Better Life Farming in Latin America

In India, 85% of rural women are engaged in agriculture, yet only about 13% own land. However, with rapid advancement in agriculture, technology and innovation, India is waking up to an era of agriculture 4.0, in which precision farming and the use of big data will enhance efficiency and sustainable practices in agriculture. This revolution is also fueling the massive transformation of gender roles and paving the way for women to be a part of this transformation by delivering gender-smart solutions that are flexible and inclusive.
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In India, 85% of rural women are engaged in agriculture, yet only about 13% own land. However, with rapid advancement in agriculture, technology and innovation, India is waking up to an era of agriculture 4.0, in which precision farming and the use of big data will enhance efficiency and sustainable practices in agriculture. This revolution is also fueling the massive transformation of gender roles and paving the way for women to be a part of this transformation by delivering gender-smart solutions that are flexible and inclusive.

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According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, women make up on average 43% of the agricultural workforce in developing countries. Female participation in value chains is critical, yet they still face gender-specific constraints and challenges in owning, accessing, and controlling resources that affect their productivity, livelihood, and income.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, women make up on average 43% of the agricultural workforce in developing countries. Female participation in value chains is critical, yet they still face gender-specific constraints and challenges in owning, accessing, and controlling resources that affect their productivity, livelihood, and income.

To develop a stronger voice for rural women in agriculture and level the playing field, the Better Life Farming Alliance adopts a gender-smart approach, which involves onboarding women agri-entrepreneurs to extend necessary support to thousands of underserved women smallholder farmers. In 2022, over 1000 new Better Life Farming centers were set up across India, with over 100 women agri-entrepreneurs. Phoolbasan Yadav, <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/farmer-kalyani-singh/">Kalyani Singh</a>, <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/farmer-ranju-singh/">Ranju Singh</a>, Rubi Devi, Demanti Devi, Arzina Khatun and many more such women have become our everyday heroes who support and uplift each other to make women more visible and empowered in agriculture and farming. Similarly, the stories of Suchita Bhosale and Sagarika Mishra highlight their farming journey into becoming thriving Agri- women.

To develop a stronger voice for rural women in agriculture and level the playing field, the Better Life Farming Alliance adopts a gender-smart approach, which involves onboarding women agri-entrepreneurs to extend necessary support to thousands of underserved women smallholder farmers. In 2022, over 1000 new Better Life Farming centers were set up across India, with over 100 women agri-entrepreneurs. Phoolbasan Yadav, <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/farmer-kalyani-singh/">Kalyani Singh</a>, <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/farmer-ranju-singh/">Ranju Singh</a>, Rubi Devi, Demanti Devi, Arzina Khatun and many more such women have become our everyday heroes who support and uplift each other to make women more visible and empowered in agriculture and farming. Similarly, the stories of Suchita Bhosale and Sagarika Mishra highlight their farming journey into becoming thriving Agri- women.

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Sagarika-Ghosh-2

Meet Sagarika Mishra, one of these agri-entrepreneurs managing a BLF center in India. At 28 years old, Sagarika is a wife and mother. Sagarika is a graduate in Fishery Science and became an agri-entrepreneur during COVID-19 when she had to return to her village to provide for her family. Along with the BLF Center, she also has her own model farm, where she spends a lot of her time and energy helping her community by promoting better farming inputs and practices.

Meet Sagarika Mishra, one of these agri-entrepreneurs managing a BLF center in India. At 28 years old, Sagarika is a wife and mother. Sagarika is a graduate in Fishery Science and became an agri-entrepreneur during COVID-19 when she had to return to her village to provide for her family. Along with the BLF Center, she also has her own model farm, where she spends a lot of her time and energy helping her community by promoting better farming inputs and practices.

Similarly, in the Satara district of Maharashtra, many women started out as smallholder farmers with only a few hectares of land, learning from their own experience and having the passion to help themselves and other farmers become more progressive and profitable. Suchita Bhosale, a 26-year-old, became an agri-entrepreneur and is empowering over 5,000 farmers in the region of which 30% are women smallholders. She also supplies seeds for a variety of crops including soya, wheat, Bengal gram, and vegetables. Suchita, is also involved in several social welfare organizations and has also won the “Manage India Award&#8221; for being a successful agri-entrepreneur.

Similarly, in the Satara district of Maharashtra, many women started out as smallholder farmers with only a few hectares of land, learning from their own experience and having the passion to help themselves and other farmers become more progressive and profitable. Suchita Bhosale, a 26-year-old, became an agri-entrepreneur and is empowering over 5,000 farmers in the region of which 30% are women smallholders. She also supplies seeds for a variety of crops including soya, wheat, Bengal gram, and vegetables. Suchita, is also involved in several social welfare organizations and has also won the “Manage India Award" for being a successful agri-entrepreneur.

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Suchita Bhosale_1 (1)

Suchita shares, “I want to provide smallholders in my community and in nearby villages with a port of call where they can find everything they need, to improve their productivity. Be it crop advisory and protection products or modern agricultural technologies. My great wish is that my center will also inspire the youth in my village for smallholder farming.”

Suchita shares, “I want to provide smallholders in my community and in nearby villages with a port of call where they can find everything they need, to improve their productivity. Be it crop advisory and protection products or modern agricultural technologies. My great wish is that my center will also inspire the youth in my village for smallholder farming.”

A women in a blue saree stands next to a pink Better Life Farming banner. Next to the banner stands a man in a pink shirt.

A Stronger Voice for Female Farmers in India

The Better Life Farming (BLF) Alliance brings public and private partners together to combine their expertise to improve the livelihoods of rural smallholders and their communities. Over 30 global, regional and local partners combine their expertise in finance, irrigation, insurance and more to ensure a holistic end-to-end value-chain delivery. At the nucleus of the BLF Alliance lies the BLF Center and the BLF Model Farm.

The Better Life Farming (BLF) Alliance brings public and private partners together to combine their expertise to improve the livelihoods of rural smallholders and their communities. Over 30 global, regional and local partners combine their expertise in finance, irrigation, insurance and more to ensure a holistic end-to-end value-chain delivery. At the nucleus of the BLF Alliance lies the BLF Center and the BLF Model Farm.

BLF Centers: Providing Access
BLF Centers in rural villages ensure easy access to farming solutions from the partner network to rural farmers through a “last mile delivery model”. The centers provide agronomic education, customized agronomic solutions, financing (including financial literacy training), market access and fair prices as well as partnerships to local farmers. They are owned and run by agri-entrepreneurs, farmers, or agri-graduates who provide the entire community access to inputs, crop advice, Good Agricultural Practices (G.A.P.) trainings and access to model farms. This makes the BLF Center the central hub for smallholders to access the products and services provided by the partner network. Each BLF Center services around 500 farmers over five to ten villages.

BLF Centers: Providing Access

BLF Centers in rural villages ensure easy access to farming solutions from the partner network to rural farmers through a “last mile delivery model”. The centers provide agronomic education, customized agronomic solutions, financing (including financial literacy training), market access and fair prices as well as partnerships to local farmers. They are owned and run by agri-entrepreneurs, farmers, or agri-graduates who provide the entire community access to inputs, crop advice, Good Agricultural Practices (G.A.P.) trainings and access to model farms. This makes the BLF Center the central hub for smallholders to access the products and services provided by the partner network. Each BLF Center services around 500 farmers over five to ten villages.

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EVAN6445

Model Farm: Modeling the BLF Impact
Complementary to the BLF Center is the BLF Model Farm. Almost every BLF Center has a nearby model farm that is either owned by the BLF Center owner or by a progressive smallholder from the respective rural community.  On the model farm, farmers can learn how to implement G.A.P. on their own fields and how to apply agri-inputs correctly and safely. The trainings are conducted by BLF Agri-consultants, village based experienced agronomist who hold farmer trainings on the model farm. Aside from the trainings, the agri-consultants are regularly on site to provide advice to the model farmer and other smallholders in the community.
The agri-consultants and model farm are not only a training ground but also a show-and-tell for farmers to see for themselves how the expert trainings and advice in combination with the high-quality product and technology can impact the crops and yields. This hands-on proof of the concept aims to inspire traditional farmers to have an open mind towards new technologies and practices.

Model Farm: Modeling the BLF Impact

Complementary to the BLF Center is the BLF Model Farm. Almost every BLF Center has a nearby model farm that is either owned by the BLF Center owner or by a progressive smallholder from the respective rural community.  On the model farm, farmers can learn how to implement G.A.P. on their own fields and how to apply agri-inputs correctly and safely. The trainings are conducted by BLF Agri-consultants, village based experienced agronomist who hold farmer trainings on the model farm. Aside from the trainings, the agri-consultants are regularly on site to provide advice to the model farmer and other smallholders in the community.

The agri-consultants and model farm are not only a training ground but also a show-and-tell for farmers to see for themselves how the expert trainings and advice in combination with the high-quality product and technology can impact the crops and yields. This hands-on proof of the concept aims to inspire traditional farmers to have an open mind towards new technologies and practices.

Community Ties
As the BLF Centers and model farms are village base and in close communication with the community around them, they allow the BLF Alliance and its many partners to tailor their solutions to individual circumstances. Through an increasing number of women agri-entrepreneurs and women agri-consultants the BLF Centers and model farms also help <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/smallholder-women-empowering-smallholder-women/">improve women’s standing and decision-making power in the community</a>.
Our partners are vital in providing access to all the necessary inputs and services smallholder need to thrive. However, without the BLF Centers and model farms and the people running them, the partner solutions would not be so easily and transparently accessible. A true alliance and partnership takes collaboration, everyone has a part to play as we aim to empower smallholders around the world.
Check out <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/welcome-to-the-farm/">our 3D model here</a> to see a BLF Center and BLF model farm in action.

Community Ties

As the BLF Centers and model farms are village base and in close communication with the community around them, they allow the BLF Alliance and its many partners to tailor their solutions to individual circumstances. Through an increasing number of women agri-entrepreneurs and women agri-consultants the BLF Centers and model farms also help <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/smallholder-women-empowering-smallholder-women/">improve women’s standing and decision-making power in the community</a>.

Our partners are vital in providing access to all the necessary inputs and services smallholder need to thrive. However, without the BLF Centers and model farms and the people running them, the partner solutions would not be so easily and transparently accessible. A true alliance and partnership takes collaboration, everyone has a part to play as we aim to empower smallholders around the world.

Check out <a href="https://www.betterlifefarming.com/our-stories/welcome-to-the-farm/">our 3D model here</a> to see a BLF Center and BLF model farm in action.

Farmers in Indonesia receive training at a green and lush model farm.

An Ecosystem that Enables Smallholders

Through a last-mile delivery model, BLF improves limited access to essential agricultural services in rural areas. BLF centers are owned and run by agri-entrepreneurs (AEs) who are often farmers or agri-graduates from the rural communities. Out of many, the following two examples showcase how our interventions can make a difference.

Through a last-mile delivery model, BLF improves limited access to essential agricultural services in rural areas. BLF centers are owned and run by agri-entrepreneurs (AEs) who are often farmers or agri-graduates from the rural communities. Out of many, the following two examples showcase how our interventions can make a difference.

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BLF manager Sourabh Kumar strongly believes that change can be made by the youth in farming, which translated into reality during a meeting with Balram Mahto, a young man from Ranchi who had just completed his post-graduation in Agriculture. When visiting existing BLF centers, Balram was very impressed by how we provide true hand-holding support to AEs, and decided to open his own center in 2020: “I always wanted to work for uplifting the standard of living of smallholder farmers of my village and train them with the knowledge that I have acquired.” Since, he has inspired many young graduates in his district, more than 10 of whom have started their own BLF entrepreneurships. Balram has the vision to expand his business to the BLF hub level, serving several centers, through which he could offer employment to others.

BLF manager Sourabh Kumar strongly believes that change can be made by the youth in farming, which translated into reality during a meeting with Balram Mahto, a young man from Ranchi who had just completed his post-graduation in Agriculture. When visiting existing BLF centers, Balram was very impressed by how we provide true hand-holding support to AEs, and decided to open his own center in 2020: “I always wanted to work for uplifting the standard of living of smallholder farmers of my village and train them with the knowledge that I have acquired.” Since, he has inspired many young graduates in his district, more than 10 of whom have started their own BLF entrepreneurships. Balram has the vision to expand his business to the BLF hub level, serving several centers, through which he could offer employment to others.

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Model-farm2

By means of gender-smart training interventions, we provide the necessary support to underserved women smallholder farmers. When Sourabh hosted a farmer camp at a remote village in a new province, he met Devanti Devi, and the BLF value proposition convinced her to allow for demonstration of good farming practices at her plot. Seeing is believing – by stalking in her tomato crops, her yield increased by one-third. This first trust point made Devanti get onboard as a BLF center owner in 2019: “BLF emerged as a bright spot in my seemingly gloomy life, which has helped me to achieve everything I had never even dreamt of! The best thing is the constant support that BLF has provided throughout my journey of becoming an agri-entrepreneur; the IFC training for building business acumen and gender-specific trainings have helped me a lot.” She especially appreciates being supported by like-minded female agri-consultants. She has encouraged other women since and even envisions her daughter Priyanka to graduate in Agricultural Science and later run her BLF center.

By means of gender-smart training interventions, we provide the necessary support to underserved women smallholder farmers. When Sourabh hosted a farmer camp at a remote village in a new province, he met Devanti Devi, and the BLF value proposition convinced her to allow for demonstration of good farming practices at her plot. Seeing is believing – by stalking in her tomato crops, her yield increased by one-third. This first trust point made Devanti get onboard as a BLF center owner in 2019: “BLF emerged as a bright spot in my seemingly gloomy life, which has helped me to achieve everything I had never even dreamt of! The best thing is the constant support that BLF has provided throughout my journey of becoming an agri-entrepreneur; the IFC training for building business acumen and gender-specific trainings have helped me a lot.” She especially appreciates being supported by like-minded female agri-consultants. She has encouraged other women since and even envisions her daughter Priyanka to graduate in Agricultural Science and later run her BLF center.

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Women-Farmer-Training1

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It is thanks to dedicated BLF managers and agronomists on the ground, like Sourabh, that BLF has successfully grown to over 2,000 centers in India, Bangladesh and Indonesia, reaching more than 800 thousand farmers. Our journey is still to continue – first pilots in Mexico and Honduras showcase our ambition to scale into other smallholder geographies. Our commitment will help increase local food production, improve smallholder livelihoods and contribute to ending food scarcity.

It is thanks to dedicated BLF managers and agronomists on the ground, like Sourabh, that BLF has successfully grown to over 2,000 centers in India, Bangladesh and Indonesia, reaching more than 800 thousand farmers. Our journey is still to continue – first pilots in Mexico and Honduras showcase our ambition to scale into other smallholder geographies. Our commitment will help increase local food production, improve smallholder livelihoods and contribute to ending food scarcity.

Embark On A Life-Changing Journey With Better Life Farming in India

More than 40 global and local partners bring their products, services, and expertise directly to smallholders via over 2,000 BLF Centers and passionate agri-entrepreneurs. It is almost hard to imagine that all of this started with only twenty farmers in Uttar Pradesh, India, in 2018. Rajesh Kumar Singh, better known as “Pappu,” was one of these first twenty farmers.

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At the age of 50, the chili farmer opened his BLF Center on October 9, 2018. Like many smallholders, he started learning about farming on his father’s farm and fell in love with the trade. He says, “When I see my green chili plants grow, the ones I sowed with my own hands, I feel a sense of pride. I have given them life, take care of them and in return, they offer my family food, income, and a better livelihood”. Having been a farmer for over two decades at the time of the BLF pilot program, Pappu quickly saw the potential BLF could offer him, his family, and his community.

“When I see my green chili plants grow, the ones I sowed with my own hands, I feel a sense of pride. I have given them life, take care of them and in return, they offer my family food, income, and a better livelihood”.

Applying the knowledge and technology made available to him through his own BLF Center, he was able to double his yield and triple his income from his near 2-hectar farm. For Pappu this income means freedom – “freedom to take it easier, enjoy the coming years with my wife and support my daughters in their future aspirations”. After four years in BLF, the fruits of Pappu’s success are evident – not only in his daughters’ education and dreams but also in the new family home.

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During a BLF workshop early this year, Pappu hosted the global and local BLF partner representatives in his new BLF Center. His center, a nice colorful structure branded in the bright BLF colors and stocked with agri-solutions from fertilizer over crop protection to irrigation tubing, still offers ample place for trainings and farmer meetings. The BLF Center takes up part of the ground level of his new two-story family home. A home, with two bathrooms, running water and solar panels on the roof, as Pappu proudly tells while giving a tour of his new home. After the tour he pointed next door to a small one room building – his old home.

During a BLF workshop early this year, Pappu hosted the global and local BLF partner representatives in his new BLF Center. His center, a nice colorful structure branded in the bright BLF colors and stocked with agri-solutions from fertilizer over crop protection to irrigation tubing, still offers ample place for trainings and farmer meetings. The BLF Center takes up part of the ground level of his new two-story family home. A home, with two bathrooms, running water and solar panels on the roof, as Pappu proudly tells while giving a tour of his new home. After the tour he pointed next door to a small one room building – his old home.

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MicrosoftTeams-image (3)

All these achievements strongly motivate Pappu to keep going. “I now have the opportunity to give something back through my own Better Life Farming Center.” Currently, Pappu reaches around 350 smallholder farmers in his community. He hopes that he can allow them, especially the young next generation of farmers, to have the same successes that he has had through BLF.  “My great wish is that my center will also inspire the youth in my village for smallholder farming. I would like to join them on their journey into a brighter future by helping them to start an own successful farming business.”

All these achievements strongly motivate Pappu to keep going. “I now have the opportunity to give something back through my own Better Life Farming Center.” Currently, Pappu reaches around 350 smallholder farmers in his community. He hopes that he can allow them, especially the young next generation of farmers, to have the same successes that he has had through BLF.  “My great wish is that my center will also inspire the youth in my village for smallholder farming. I would like to join them on their journey into a brighter future by helping them to start an own successful farming business.”

Here it is to Pappu and agri-entrepreneurs like him. It is their commitment that has allowed Better Life Farming to grow from 20 to over 700,000 farmers in only four years, and it is only through them that BLF will continue to grow and to change more smallholders’ lives in the next years.

Here it is to Pappu and agri-entrepreneurs like him. It is their commitment that has allowed Better Life Farming to grow from 20 to over 700,000 farmers in only four years, and it is only through them that BLF will continue to grow and to change more smallholders’ lives in the next years.

Pappu sits with his daughter and looks at her computer.

Pappu (Rajesh Kumar) Singh: Fruits of Success

Click the hotspots on the model below to learn about BLF Centers and model farms. The gate is always open.

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In Bangladesh they contribute more than 50% of the agricultural labor force (FAO, 2016), yet they are still faced with numerous challenges that male farmers don’t face (FAO, 2011). Among other things, “Rural women have a difficult time going out for farming advice and they are often shy to talk with men,” says Toufica Ahmed, a Better Life Farming (BLF) field activation officer.

In Bangladesh they contribute more than 50% of the agricultural labor force (FAO, 2016), yet they are still faced with numerous challenges that male farmers don’t face (FAO, 2011). Among other things, “Rural women have a difficult time going out for farming advice and they are often shy to talk with men,” says Toufica Ahmed, a Better Life Farming (BLF) field activation officer.

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Toufica & Bobita (1)

Toufica Ahmed is an agri-graduate who joined Bayer’s smallholder farming team in 2021. As a field activation officer for BLF, she directly recruits and supports BLF Center owners. She also leads farmer trainings and meetings in BLF Centers and out in the field.  In this role she also supports Bobita Khatun, a former social worker turned BLF Center owner in Jashore, Bangladesh. Bobita first opened her center in 2020, as the first of now 14 women agri-entrepreneurs in Bangladesh.

Toufica Ahmed is an agri-graduate who joined Bayer’s smallholder farming team in 2021. As a field activation officer for BLF, she directly recruits and supports BLF Center owners. She also leads farmer trainings and meetings in BLF Centers and out in the field.  In this role she also supports Bobita Khatun, a former social worker turned BLF Center owner in Jashore, Bangladesh. Bobita first opened her center in 2020, as the first of now 14 women agri-entrepreneurs in Bangladesh.

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Momotaz & Bobita (1)

Toufica, Bobita and other women agri-entrepreneurs like her, make up two of the three tiers in the “three-tier BLF” system. BLF is designed to create a gender-smart, balanced ecosystem, by onboarding women agronomists and agri-entrepreneurs. Then, they can directly train women farmers and shape the training schedules to include female farmers in knowledge transfer and agriculture advice. Being respectful of the women’s schedules and non-farming duties, as well as accounting for traveling and other gender specific limitations are taken into consideration. Women trainers and advisors, in combination with other gender dedicated approaches, create new opportunities for women farmers, like Momotaz, to access BLF solutions more easily.

Toufica, Bobita and other women agri-entrepreneurs like her, make up two of the three tiers in the “three-tier BLF” system. BLF is designed to create a gender-smart, balanced ecosystem, by onboarding women agronomists and agri-entrepreneurs. Then, they can directly train women farmers and shape the training schedules to include female farmers in knowledge transfer and agriculture advice. Being respectful of the women’s schedules and non-farming duties, as well as accounting for traveling and other gender specific limitations are taken into consideration. Women trainers and advisors, in combination with other gender dedicated approaches, create new opportunities for women farmers, like Momotaz, to access BLF solutions more easily.

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Screen Shot 2022-09-21 at 9.18.51 AM

Although the exact number of women farmers involved in Better Life Farming is hard to determine, due to shared family farms with often male ownership, we estimated that generally BLF Centers in Bangladesh reach around 150 to 200 women farmers. In comparison Bobita’s BLF Center is currently reaching around 350 women farmers, some of whom have become inspired by Bobita’s story. Housewife and farmer Nazma started visiting Bobita’s center in 2021. She is now thinking about following Bobita’s example and opening a BLF Center on her own.

Although the exact number of women farmers involved in Better Life Farming is hard to determine, due to shared family farms with often male ownership, we estimated that generally BLF Centers in Bangladesh reach around 150 to 200 women farmers. In comparison Bobita’s BLF Center is currently reaching around 350 women farmers, some of whom have become inspired by Bobita’s story. Housewife and farmer Nazma started visiting Bobita’s center in 2021. She is now thinking about following Bobita’s example and opening a BLF Center on her own.

I love to work in my role in BLF because I can serve the nation by helping SHF women of Bangladesh. Their success and appreciation by society motivate me to do my job.

Toufica Ahmed, Field Activation Officer for Better Life Farming

BLF further offers training to all farmers, male and female, on the importance of women in farming, to help improve women’s standing and decision-making power in the community. Important discussions that only become more impactful when led by women agronomists and agri-economists like Toufica and Bobita. “I love to work in my role in BLF because I can serve the nation by helping SHF women of Bangladesh. Their success and appreciation by society motivate me to do my job”, says Toufica Ahmed. We are proud to have women like her, Bobita, Momotaz, Nazma and so many others be part of our BLF community to actively drive women empowerment in agriculture and rural communities.

BLF further offers training to all farmers, male and female, on the importance of women in farming, to help improve women’s standing and decision-making power in the community. Important discussions that only become more impactful when led by women agronomists and agri-economists like Toufica and Bobita. “I love to work in my role in BLF because I can serve the nation by helping SHF women of Bangladesh. Their success and appreciation by society motivate me to do my job”, says Toufica Ahmed. We are proud to have women like her, Bobita, Momotaz, Nazma and so many others be part of our BLF community to actively drive women empowerment in agriculture and rural communities.

Three smiling women from Bangladesh in front of BLF Center.

Women Empowering Women

Farming is in his genes 
Sandeep Kumar Sahu admits that he had always felt a “tinge of inclination towards his family business in farming”. Farming was in his genes, he says. There was another key reason for turning his back on a career in engineering— the opportunity to become a rural entrepreneur by running a Better Life Farming (BLF) Center in his home village of Sukumar in the Lohardaga district of Jharkhand. Sandeep’s in-depth understanding of the market dynamics of India’s agricultural ecosystem and the local agricultural landscape led him to see the BLF Center as an opportunity to help local farmers.

Farming is in his genes
Sandeep Kumar Sahu admits that he had always felt a “tinge of inclination towards his family business in farming”. Farming was in his genes, he says. There was another key reason for turning his back on a career in engineering— the opportunity to become a rural entrepreneur by running a Better Life Farming (BLF) Center in his home village of Sukumar in the Lohardaga district of Jharkhand. Sandeep’s in-depth understanding of the market dynamics of India’s agricultural ecosystem and the local agricultural landscape led him to see the BLF Center as an opportunity to help local farmers.

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IMG-20210707-WA0033 (1)

Work satisfaction 
While most engineers would be happy with a job in the private sector, Sandeep wasn’t. “The work satisfaction I got was not at the level of my expectations. I always had the desire to work around my people and seeing my people happy through my guidance gives me immense satisfaction,” he says. Coming from a farming family, Sandeep knew what local smallholders were lacking. He says, “you need to plan and prioritize your work in order to get the best results. My family and the farmers in our area were lacking these organizational skills.”

Work satisfaction
While most engineers would be happy with a job in the private sector, Sandeep wasn’t. “The work satisfaction I got was not at the level of my expectations. I always had the desire to work around my people and seeing my people happy through my guidance gives me immense satisfaction,” he says. Coming from a farming family, Sandeep knew what local smallholders were lacking. He says, “you need to plan and prioritize your work in order to get the best results. My family and the farmers in our area were lacking these organizational skills.”

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