The spread of COVID-19 brought unprecedented challenges. Lockdowns restricted movement, forcing many people to stay home, some without any source of income. In Sri Lanka, amid this uncertainty, Lasantha Ambakumbura received an unexpected lifeline. A representative from SANASA reached out to him, offering a zero-interest loan through the ARISE-Farmers program, designed to help farmers continue agricultural production during the pandemic. […]
In April 2021, the Kraing Leav Samaki Agricultural Cooperative loaned USD 30,000 from the ARISE-Farmers program to purchase organic rice and conventional rice from their members. With this amount, the Cooperative was able to buy 170 metric tons of organic rice (consisting of 110 tons of Romdul and 60 tons of red Jasmine rice) and […]
Better food systems are critical to building a future with improved health, equality, and peace, with rich biodiversity and ecosystems, and with resilient and empowered people. Therefore, there must be a critical shift from a food security focus to food systems thinking: thinking about food, people, and the planet, that requires multi-level approaches with multi-stakeholders. […]
The Regional Action Plan for strengthening family farming in South Asia has been elaborated through a participatory and multi-stakeholder approach in the framework of the UN Decade of Family Farming and in close collaboration with SAARC Agriculture Center, the Asia Farmer Association for Sustainable Rural Development and the International Cooperative Alliance – Asia Pacific. Consultations […]
Namaste! I am Kritica Lageju, a farmer and member of ANFPa revolution center, Bhaktapur, Nepal. It’s been six years since I have been engaged in the production of mushrooms, mushroom seeds, and vegetables. I also distribute vegetables to farmers. As we know, Nepal is geographically an agricultural country. Its climate is very friendly for agriculture […]
My name is Bùi Van Côn. I was born in a farming family and grew up in the countryside. I am currently the vice president of the Farmers’ union in Vinh Dong Commune, Kim Boi District, Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam. As a young person living in the countryside, I noticed how our countryside is changing […]
I am Sagar Bajagain, 18 years old, a member of the All Nepal Peasants’ Federation (Revolutionary Centre). I am farming 19 Ropanis of land (20 Ropanis is equal to 1 hectare) in Sindhupalchowk. In this land, I grow vegetables in 5 Ropanis (0.25 hectare), plant bananas in 3 Ropanis, and cultivate cereal in 11 […]
We are happy to announce the four young farmers whose letters stood out. Thank you to all our brilliant and enthusiastic young farmers for joining this activity. Out of 78 entries, four were chosen to win USD 500 each to fund their farm or agribusiness plan. They will receive coaching for their farm/agribusiness plan from […]
