One-third of the world’s 7.3 billion people are smallholder farmers. They produce 80% of all the food consumed worldwide grown on 60% of the arable land on the planet. That’s a lot of responsibility in the hands of people who aren’t empowered to make a difference. It’s time to change that.
Tier 1 Network believes that working with smallholder farmers can lead to multiple paradigm-shifting solutions. We can expand their knowledge base through training and technology. We can increase their output of not just food but organic food. We can reduce the crushing poverty of smallholder farmers. We can entrust the 2.5 billion people who work on smallholder farms to make each of their farms, and therefore the planet, more sustainable. We can improve the plight of women in the smallholder communities and bring them dignity. We can discourage the middle-men who unnecessarily exploit the smallholder farmers. We can augment basic infrastructure like drinking water, electricity, hygiene and schools in smallholder communities. The results from each one of those is exponential and will serve to make the world a fairer place.