The Farmer Development Programme (FDP) and the Farmer Field Life School (FFLS) Programme:
The Farmer Development Programme (FDP) is a three years programme to farm for the community members whose lands are leased by Addax. Addax does everything for the farmers free of cost. They plough, harrow, provide seeds and fertilizers to be used on the farms. The plots are shared according to the farm families of each member of the community. The more family members you have the larger the plot allocated to you. After the plot allocation, there is a field visit by the Addax team and the community members including the farm owner. This field visit is to know whether the farm has been weeded. Secondly, to also know if there is too much water disturbing …show more content…
It contributes 40 to 50% of GDP, about 10% of exports and provides employment to approximately two-thirds of the population. Whilst agricultural growth has significant poverty reduction effects, the sector is characterized largely by smallholders, practicing mainly subsistence agriculture. In recent years, efforts have been made to introduce mechanized farming practices, through the provision of tractors, power tillers and other agricultural tools to farming communities. Over 400 Agricultural Business Centers (ABCs) have been established under the smallholder commercialization programme and provided with appropriate support to enhance agricultural productivity and promote value addition. Domestic production of food crops especially rice, the staple food has increased in recent years but the proportion of rice imports as a percentage of total rice consumption remains high. The production of cassava and other food products, including sweet potato, poultry, small ruminants and cattle, also increased during the Agenda for Change (AFC) period 2007-2011; the production of traditional export crops such as cocoa and coffee also increased (by 217% and 60% respectively). Cocoa and exports increased between 2007 and 2011 by 105% and 220% respectively. Despite this growth, agricultural export remains low and undiversified. Access to market and to credit are severe constraints; to ease them 907 kilometers of feeder roads have been rehabilitated, linking 96 ABCs to production and market centers; 3,071 hectares of inland valley swamps (IVS) have been rehabilitated to facilitate multi-cropping farming practices; while with support from IFAD, over 50 Financial Services Associations (FSAs) have been established in rural areas to increase farmers access to