USAID is supporting
11,500 small farmers

Providing seeds, seedlings, and compost over two years

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said it is providing seeds, seedlings, and compost to 11,500 small-scale farmers over a period of two years.

The farmers will receive critical agriculture inputs for both unirrigated and irrigated production systems. USAID is investing $1.1 million in this project which is being implemented through its Agriculture and Rural Empowerment (ARE). ARE is a $57 million, multi-year activity funded by USAID.

“To date, 5,000 farmers have benefited from this support. The distribution of seeds and seedlings will be organized into fall and spring seasons with each assistance recipient receiving a tailored support package based on their farming requirements. This in-kind support is coupled with technical training and educational materials to improve crop productivity, and with linkages between farmers and input suppliers to sustain production,” USAID said in a statement.

It said that input costs for essential agricultural supplies like seeds have surged which has resulted in farmers missing planting seasons or suffering diminished yields with lower-grade seeds.