by Martin Royle, Director, Communications & Partnerships, Tanager
2019 was a year of incredible achievement and impact for the people, communities, and businesses that Tanager works with across the globe. With activities that positively impact over 105 thousand people worldwide, Tanager’s work won multiple awards, we collaborated on leading industry reports on sustainable agriculture, increased women’s market inclusion across the continent of Africa, improved nutrition outcomes for households, and continued to be an industry leader in the field of sustainable agriculture.
From farms to boards of directors, social and market inclusion for women and female youth remained a top priority for Tanager in 2019. In India, Tanager’s work in sustainable supply chains prioritizes women’s inclusion at every level. The co-created Andhra Pradesh Farmer Market Readiness Project has helped form all-women Farmer Produce Companies to increase women’s income and access to markets. The Shubh Mint project creates safe spaces called Self Help Groups where women collectively save money while learning valuable farming skills.
Tanager also showcased the impact of our transformative gender and nutrition poultry work in Burkina Faso. In addition to presenting the success of these hardworking poultry producers at multiple industry forums, Rosalie Bafiogo, a Village Vaccinator, penned a powerful testimonial about her inspiring journey to a leadership role within the poultry sector. Tanager is honored to be trusted by an ever-growing list of top-tier partners to help foster a better social and economic environment for women and better nutrition outcomes for households.
Tanager is also proud to be a trusted thought-leader in the development sector. In 2019 Tanager became a Consultative Partner on Virginia Tech’s Global Agricultural Productivity Report – a well-respected publication that tracks and makes recommendations on the progress towards sustainable agriculture and global food security. Tanager helped craft the report and participated in the 2019 GAP Report launch at the World Food Prize event in Des Moines. Tanager’s Shubh Mint initiative was featured on the Living Income Community of Practice, sharing the research and knowledge that goes into this award-winning project with fellow development professionals.
Speaking of awards, Tanager’s team in India was recognized on many occasions in 2019 for its contribution to the prosperity of smallholder farmers in India. Last week, Tanager’s Country Representative Amit Kumar Singh and Technical Director Dr. S.P. Singh were honored at the National Agribusiness Summit in Vidisha, along with project participants from the Siddipet Horticulture Program, Andhra Pradesh Farmer Market Readiness Project, and Shubh Mint. Other awards in 2019 include the Silver Mint Award from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in Lucknow, the Indian Achievers Award for Industry Development in Agribusiness, and the World Procurement Award.
Of course, helping to co-create life-changing economic and social opportunities for individuals and communities is our proudest accomplishment. From Michelle Sanchez Sourio in Bogotá, Colombia who – as part of the Learning for Life Project – overcame the challenges of migrant work through job training and placement, to Bibata Traoré in Burkina Faso who overcame a disability to prosper as a poultry producer, to the coffee shop smallholder farmers opened in Visakhapatnam, India, Tanager is humbled by the hard work and dedication of the people we work with every day. As we look forward to 2020, with new initiatives and a growing roster of impact-oriented partnerships , we thank everyone we work with for their energy and commitment to Growth For Good.