Agriculture depends on factors that cannot be influenced, such as temperature or rainfall. In addition, the globalization of markets put the farmers in a more and more difficult situation. Therefore, diversification of income on farm and off farm is important.
The production of bioRe organic cotton is based on a crop rotation system. For example, the cultivation of sunflowers near cotton fields is widespread in Tanzania: as trap crops for pest control.
Creating business opportunities around such crops are important to ensure an additional source of income and motivate the farmers to continue to grow bioRe organic cotton.
A sunflower oil press for a livelihood
The women farmers in the village of Isengwa need your support: with an oil press in their village, they want to set up a small business and secure their income.
Donation target: USD 30’000.-
With any donation you contribute to the empowerment of Tanzanian women farmers, e.g. to buy an oil press and to raise the start-up capital for a small shop.
USD: CH36 0844 0625 6163 1010 4
EURO: CH52 0844 0625 6163 1020 4
SWIFT: BCLRCHBB
Thank you very much for your donation.
Receive current short reports from the projects of the farming communities in Tanzania and India:
A successful business idea and securing additional income
In 2014, the bioRe® Foundation supported a farmers’ group in the Tanzanian village of Ng’hoboko for the first time to buy a sunflower oil press so that they can produce their own cooking oil. Otherwise, they would have to buy the oil from the local shop and earn money for it upfront. Of course, the taste and quality of their own sunflower oil is much better – and free – the women farmers rave.
In addition to their own consumption, the farmers would also sell the oil. For a small surcharge, other farmers from the village were also allowed to have their sunflower seeds pressed. Over time, however, it was discovered that the “seed cakes” (squeezed sunflower seeds) generated during pressing were good additional livestock feed. The farmers therefore decided to offer the pressing of the kernels free of charge and to sell the oil cakes as cattle feed. Since the grass does not grow during the dry season, these oil cakes are an optimal supplementary feed for the livestock and are therefore in great demand.
A long-term perspective
Training the farmers’ group in the use and maintenance of the machine ensures the sustainability of the investment. Besides the additional income, the farmers also learn how to run a small business and handle money.
