What

Co-Creation

Creating a world where people can improve their lives is why we do the work we do. We believe there is great untapped potential for growth, and we co-create solutions to realize gains for farms, households, and communities. Every partnership, project, and activity brings about life-changing economic opportunities.

Services


Connect.


Analyze.


Implement.

Connect. Analyze. Implement.

Tanager provides a full range of services to co-create healthy markets that benefit all participants. Our work stems from a deep connection with our partners and the communities we serve. We bring people together in a spirit of common purpose. We share ideas and put them to the test. And together, we put evidence-based solutions into action. We assemble the right team with the right experience to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Connect: Tanager connects people and partners to bridge stakeholder divides, expands market access, and unlocks the full potential of shared market opportunities. We bring the right people to the table and makes sure every voice is heard, linking smallholder producers to major consumer brands and everyone in between.

Analyze: Tanager combines technical expertise and business perspective to assess markets, analyze supply chains, and pilot new technologies and tools. We test promising business models and shed light on issues critical to market success. We advance research vital to emerging economies. Our analytical approach helps us identify variables early on, which saves time and money in the long run.

Implement: Tanager is a flexible implementing partner with a track record of delivering results in complex, dynamic environments. We drive ambitious initiatives to the finish line with a clear roadmap and the right resources at the right time and place. Our global expertise and on-the-ground presence brings last-mile experience crucial to sustainable market solutions. Clients know they can count on us to keep our word and see things through.

Expertise

“Tanager puts farming livelihoods at the center of all it does. Whether I work with the headquarters office or the local implementing team, they provide strategic plans based on implementing realities that deliver programs for farming families that are innovative, based on shared value and deliver inclusive growth.”

KIM FRANKOVICH, VP Cocoa Sustainability, Mars Wrigley Confectionery

Tanager provides a full range of services to co-create healthy markets that benefit all participants.

Profiting from sustainable sourcing commitments
Tanager helps smallholder producers profit in the global economy, helping them improve the quantity and quality of their yields to meet buyer specifications. We also understand the business climate and advise partners on the most effective ways to design and implement their sustainable sourcing investments. We work with partners and smallholder producers to develop strategies that put farmers’ ability to earn a decent living income at the center of sustainable sourcing programs. Read more.

Improving nutrition and gender outcomes through agriculture
Better agricultural productivity and income can translate into better nutrition outcomes and greater gender equity in the workforce. We use agriculture as a point of entry to change nutrition behaviors and gender norms at the household level, improving food consumption and increasing women’s economic empowerment. Read more.

Testing new ideas for greater impact
The world’s most pressing problems require creative and adaptive market-oriented solutions. We analyze how new ideas, such as agronomic practices, technologies, and business models, could positively impact smallholder producers or strengthen the workforce. We collaborate across sectors with committed partners to test these new ideas, sharpen our thinking, and challenge assumptions to find practical solutions that benefit end users. Read more.

Expanding access to secure financial services
We help develop ecosystems for cashless banking as a bridge between rural communities and brick-and-mortar banking services. Mobile money platforms reduce risks associated with cash transfers. We work with financial providers to adapt their services to the needs of agricultural buyers and suppliers, and we support producers to build their financial acumen, establish credit histories, and develop relationships with financial service providers. Read more.

Growing tomorrow’s workforce and leaders today
Whether youth are moving away from farming or emerging from conflict, Tanager prepares them to succeed in the labor workforce. We identify the human capital needs of the marketplace, mentor youth to acquire essential hard and soft skills, and place youth with businesses where they can excel. We bring youth, local employers, and governments together to improve access to jobs and strengthen the workforce for more vibrant, stable economies. Read more

Getting producers ready for markets
We keep smallholder producers at the heart of what we co-create, so that market solutions become a force for economic and social gains for people and their communities. We put growth for good into action by equipping smallholder producers to boost their crop quality and yields and develop their capacity to sustain, expand, and profit from agriculture opportunities. Read more

Publications

Recent Publications

The Gender Factors that Influence Teff Farming Decisions
IGNITE & Sasakawa: Gender-specific drivers of best practice adoption among teff farmers. This study identifies key gender factors that influence decision-making on the adoption of best practices (BPs) in teff farming households in Amhara, Ethiopia. The research was conducted by the Impacting Gender & Nutrition through Innovative Technical Exchange in Agriculture (IGNITE), in consultation with Sasakawa Africa Association.

Featured Publications

Impacts of Women-Only Farmer Groups on the Adoption of Agricultural Practices
IGNITE & Digital Green: Exploring Intra-Household Decision-Making and Best Practice Adoption Outcomes of Women-Targeted Digital Extension. Women in Ethiopia face various barriers to adopting agricultural best practices. Using household surveys with 1,740 wheat farmers from 895 households in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, this study investigates if using women-only farmer groups mitigate those barriers to access for women and lead to increased knowledge and adoption of best practices for wheat farmers, or changes in decision-making power for women. The research was conducted by the Impacting Gender & Nutrition through Innovative Technical Exchange in Agriculture (IGNITE), in consultation with Digital Green.
Gender Differences on Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea Adoption
IGNITE & AATF: This lean data study gauges AATF’s success in increasing adoption of the PBR cowpea, a pest-resistant strain of this protein source, amongst smallholder farmers in Nigeria. The research, which incorporated a gender and nutrition focus, gathered feedback from AATF extension agents, demo farmers, and observer farmers.