FFD - SUPPORT FROM FARMER TO FARMER
FFD, the Finnish Agri-Agency for Food and Forest Development, is a non-profit organization supporting agricultural producer organizations, forest owners' organizations and cooperatives in developing countries. The organization, founded in 2012, has its roots in the solidarity work started by The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK) for the benefit of producers in developing countries.
Productive family farms provide food security and employment for a growing population in developing countries. However, individual farmers require supporting networks that provide knowledge and capital. Our goal is to strengthen Farmers’ Organizations, but also, to make sure that Farmers’ Organizations know how to stay strong for many years to come.
FFD 10 years - A Decade of Impact
Ten years, multiple projects, tens of thousands of farmers capacitated, hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries reached, and finally, all the work to promote inclusive, systemic changes. FFD has facilitated smallholder farmers’ and forest keepers’ resilience, well-being, and strengthened their organizations to continue operating even if our collaboration may end. This has been the story of FFD, and we are glad to continue it.
Twinning
The twinning approach is at the core of FFD's work. Currenltly 13 agriculture and forestry experts from Finland provide peer support, advice and knowledge-sharing to farmers and forest producers in developing countries. This is called the farmer to farmer approach. The twinning partners include MTK and ProAgria's regional associations, SLC, forestry associations, the Finnish Fish Farmers' Association and Puutarhanaiset ry.
Network
FFD is part of AgriCord, an international non-profit development alliance bringing together 12 agri-agencies, each mandated by the farmers' and rural people's organizations of their respective countries. All AgriCord members implement the Farmers Fighting Poverty programme, aiming to reduce poverty through the empowerment of producer organisations. In addition to contributions from members and private donors, FFD also receives funding from Finnish, Dutch, Belgian, French and the European Union development funds. EU funding is implemented with IFAD’s technical support.
FFD projects have supported a variety of rural livelihoods in various developing countries, including agriculture, silviculture, agroforestry, aquaculture and apiculture. Results are achieved in practice through measures such as training support, organizational strengthening, improving value chain and enhancing market connections. Around half of FFD's projects support forest-based livelihood systems. Support for gender and vulnerable groups is a priority for FFD's projects.
Read more about FFD in our new brochure (2019).
