A Contagious Charm from American Friends
Only a year ago, the Natabo Farmers’ Association was but a loose band of friends practicing traditional agriculture near Wau, Sudan. Since March 2007, however, the 30 peri-urban members of NFA have seen tremendous gains in productivity and incomes thanks in part to technical assistance and mentoring support provided by ACDI/VOCA’s Agricultural Market and Enterprise Development (AMED) project.
AMED staff identified the Natabo farmers in March 2007 and developed a scope of work to help the group carry out a market assessment with a view toward improving sales. The training, provided by volunteer Dr. Richard Edwards, was an eye-opener for group members who discovered some important fundamentals of market-oriented production.
One of the key lessons was the importance of keeping records. Traditionally, the farmers never recorded their farming expenses nor did they plan production according to the market. Instead, most depended on memory to keep track of expenses and planted whatever the season dictated without regard to supply and demand. The inevitable outcome was poor management of costs and limited returns.
In the training provided by Dr. Edwards, the Natabo farmers learned to analyze market demand and improve their marketing capacity. Quite a few of them immediately set up stalls at the farmgate to attract more customers. In addition, the group was urged to establish an association to provide economies of scale and thus lower input costs and marketing expenses.
Some NFA members got a chance to further enhance their business skills by attending training in Farming as a Business (FaaB) conducted by volunteer David Glenn under auspices of the ministry of agriculture. In this ACDI/VOCA signature training, the members learned how to put together a projected income statement, analyze costs and returns to maximize profits, and generally to approach farming with a business mentality.
Eventually, the group resolved to formally establish the NFA and sought the assistance of AMED. Veteran ACDI/VOCA volunteer and seasoned association development specialist Jerry Nolte was called upon to help the group write bylaws. At the end of his assignment, 30 members signed up to uphold the constitution of NFA, and in October 2007 the NFA was formally registered.
The next challenge was to develop a business plan outlining the group’s strategy for achieving revenue targets. By this time, the members had become versed in basic business principles, and they only required minimal guidance from AMED staff.
Results so far have been encouraging with more than half of the group doubling net returns in 2007. Group earnings totaled over $34,000 compared to $12,000 for 2006. A major difference can be seen on members’ farms. Instead of producing one crop at a time, the farmers now plant a diversity of crops, sectioned and staggered at varying stages of growth to ensure continuous harvest and a steady income flow. Some members are also employing more laborers on their farms, whereas in some cases increased farm management efficiency has reduced labor costs but still increased returns.
At a recent meeting, almost every member was riding a motorcycle, a clear indication of the group’s changed fortunes.
The economic success has brought livelihood improvements. Member Farouk Yousif is able to send his sister to Juba University, where she is doing well as the first family member to get a university education. Another member, Abubakar Ali, was able to renovate his crumbling house and buy two donkeys to establish a water supply business that supplements his farm income. He employs three farmhands and two water supply workers. At lea
st two-thirds of the members are reinvesting gains—purchasing improved seed, buying or leasing additional acreage and improving irrigation capacity—to upgrade their farming.
As a result of NFA’s success, other Wau farmers are improving their methods and boosting productivity. This has reduced the volume of produce coming from Khartoum and brought down prices, although local farmers can still enjoy good returns.
The NFA chairman tells the story of a nonmember who asked what kind of charm or magic the association had used that brought such improvement. Teasingly, he explained that the charm was not available locally but rather it was an American charm brought by valued friends from overseas. “Clearly,” he exclaimed, “the charm is contagious, and many farmers are slowly catching on.”