Tanager

Nurturing smallholder farmers in India

Today is National Farmers Day in India, an important time to reflect on the plight of the rural farmer and examine how Tanager is working to improve social and economic conditions in rural communities. In the Indian economy agricultural accounts for 18% of the country’s GDP, employing roughly 50% of the country’s workforce. In most of the cases farmers in India work less than an acre of land and rarely own more than 2 acres. These smallholder farmers face a unique set of challenges that Tanager works to address through our co-created projects in India. To understand how Tanager co-creates projects help to improve economic and social outcomes for these farmers, we must first understand the challenges of smallholder farming in India.

2019: A year of achievement and impact for the communities Tanager serves

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.

Smallholder women farmers increase their yields and incomes in Telangana

Rathalavath Vijalaxmi is a smallholder farmer from Dachakpally village in Telangana, India. She farms three acres of land along with her husband and three sons. As a young farmer cultivating vegetables like tomatoes, okra, beans, ridge gourds, and chili, Rathalavath often struggles to earn enough from selling her crops to make ends meet for her family. Prior to becoming involved in the Siddipet Horticulture Project, her farm produced an average yield of five to six metric tons.

Overcoming social stigma in Bogotá: Meet Michelle

Originally from Venezuela, Michelle migrated to Colombia in 2018 in search of better opportunities after being unable to continue with her studies in her home country. However, life in Bogotá came with challenges of its own. After more than 70 unsuccessful interviews, the only jobs she could find were of an informal nature.

Statement: Tanager welcomes Barbara Stinson to the World Food Prize Foundation

Tanager congratulates Barbara Stinson in her new role as President of The World Food Prize Foundation. Ms Stinson is a career consensus-builder on issues that transcend country borders and has demonstrated a tireless commitment to address food safety and food security.

Empowering women in the mint supply chain: Meet Usha Devi

Usha Devi is a mint farmer in Mubarkapur village in Zaidpur cluster of Barabanki District in India. She is also a project participant in the co-created Shubh Mint Project. For Usha, Shubh Mint provides more than an economic lifeline, it empowers her to improve a difficult living situation.

SDGs through the eyes of a farming household

For much of the world, the real face of poverty is a smallholder farmer. According to the FAO, of the 2.5 billion people living directly from food or agriculture sectors in poor countries, 1.5 billion of them are smallholder farmers, with about 65% of those living in extreme poverty and over 50% being classified as moderate poor (1). Recent SDG 1 projections indicate that 6% of the world’s population will still be living in extreme poverty in 2030 if current trends continue.

How do we bridge the gap towards achieving an end to poverty?

Join Tanager for a webinar on the Shubh Mint Project in India

Tanager and Mars Wrigley Confectionery have been working together in India since 2014 to help farmers the mint supply chain increase income and boost productivity. This webinar will be a discussion and presentation on the Shubh Mint Project, currently in its third year of implementation. Experts from Mars Wrigley Confectionery and Tanager will share lessons learned from the design and implementation of this project, with an eye towards how the project has improved lives and livelihoods of farmers, including a 250% increase in net incomes from mint. This case will address a sourcing situation where a lead firm is not buying the crop which provides the majority of household income, yet provides a critical component of that income with considerable potential for improvement.