This press release was originally published on the Corteva website.<\/p>\n
Wilmington, Del.\u00a0\u2013 October 22, 2020 \u2013 Corteva Agriscience, John Deere, Global Communities, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today the\u00a0Zambia Emerging Farmers Partnership, a project designed to help increase the productivity, incomes and sustainable farming practices of 10,000 emerging farmers with 20-60 hectares of land. This project will enrich the lives of farmers and their communities and will contribute to building a resilient global food system.<\/p>\n
Agriculture in Zambia is a key sector for employment and critical to local and regional food security. Maize is the primary source of calories for many rural people and a significant contributor to Zambia\u2019s economic and social development. However, farmers face many challenges, from climate variabilities to fall armyworm. In addition, traditional practices for preparing the land, weeding and harvesting require significant manual labor, much of which is endured by women.<\/p>\n
Farmers who will benefit from this project \u2013 30 percent of whom are women \u2013 will be empowered with educational resources, technologies, and access to capital. Corteva Agriscience agronomists will work directly with farmers to enhance adoption of hybrid seed and crop protection products, and advance sustainable farming practices. John Deere will establish equipment service provision models to increase farmer access to mechanization for optimal production and harvesting. USAID and Global Communities will provide training to farmers on production techniques, post-harvest handling, and transport; increase access to credit and finance; and link farmers to markets.<\/p>\n
The three-year project will leverage more than $37 million in loans for inputs and equipment, resulting in more than 50,000 hectares of crops planted using climate-adaptive seeds and other sustainable technologies.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Zambia, emergent farmers \u2013 especially women \u2013 often struggle to access the necessary technologies, capital and training to be successful,\u201d said Subbarao Kolli, President of Africa and Middle East at Corteva Agriscience. \u201cAgriculture is the main source of income and employment for people in rural areas of Zambia. As a leader in agricultural innovation, we are committed to growing agriculture in Zambia, working with stakeholders and farmers on the ground. We are committed to helping the government and people of Zambia meet the nation\u2019s food security target of five million metric tonnes.\u201d<\/p>\n
In June, Corteva announced its\u00a02030 sustainability goals, spanning a wide range of initiatives for farmers, the land, communities, and its operations. The company pledged to help increase the productivity, incomes and sustainable farming practices of smallholder farmers as well as to empower women in their communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cCorteva Agriscience and key collaborators share a commitment to using new innovative approaches to help farmers in Zambia and the agriculture value chain,\u201d said Henri Moore, Global Responsibility Leader at Corteva Agriscience. \u201cSupporting the needs of farmers \u2013 large and small \u2013 is central to our purpose at Corteva. Through this collaboration, we will make a significant impact on the lives of these Zambian farmers, their families and their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGlobal Communities is proud to be part of this extraordinary partnership,\u201d said David A. Weiss, CEO of Global Communities. \u201cGlobal Communities works to advance innovative agricultural interventions side-by-side with rural families, particularly women farmers who are at the vanguard of their communities. We connect people with resources, training and access to capital so they can build healthy, secure, stable lives \u2013 even in the face of climate change\u2019s increasing impact on food security.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information on Corteva\u2019s efforts to enrich the lives of smallholder farmers and its 2030 sustainability goals, visit\u00a0https:\/\/www.corteva.com\/sustainability.html<\/p>\n
About Corteva Agriscience
\nCorteva Agriscience is a publicly traded, global pure-play agriculture company that provides farmers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry – including a balanced and diverse mix of seed, crop protection and digital solutions focused on maximizing productivity to enhance yield and profitability. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and an industry-leading product and technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. Corteva Agriscience became an independent public company on June 1, 2019 and was previously the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. More information can be found at\u00a0www.corteva.com.<\/p>\n
Follow Corteva on\u00a0Facebook,\u00a0Instagram,\u00a0LinkedIn,\u00a0Twitter\u00a0and\u00a0YouTube.<\/p>\n
About Global Communities
\nGlobal Communities is a global development and humanitarian assistance organization committed to working in partnership with communities worldwide to bring about sustainable, impactful changes that improve the lives and livelihoods of the vulnerable. Currently working in in 27 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, Asia and Europe, Global Communities was founded in 1952 as Cooperative Housing Foundation, and until 2012, was known as CHF International. Today, areas of expertise include innovation in rural sanitation, market-based workforce education,\u00a0and\u00a0strengthening civil society. Learn more at\u00a0www.globalcommunities.org.<\/p>\n
Follow Global Communities on\u00a0Facebook,\u00a0Instagram,\u00a0Twitter,\u00a0LinkedIn,\u00a0Flickr\u00a0and\u00a0YouTube.<\/p>\n
Corteva Media Contact:
\nBarbra Muzatabarbra.muzata@corteva.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This press release was originally published on the Corteva website. Wilmington, Del.\u00a0\u2013 October 22, 2020 \u2013 Corteva Agriscience, John Deere, Global Communities, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today the\u00a0Zambia Emerging Farmers Partnership, a project designed to help increase the productivity, incomes and sustainable farming practices of 10,000 emerging farmers with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1046,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"gc_country":[],"gc_area_of_expertise":[],"class_list":["post-1045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-releases"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n