The Backpack Farm Program (BPF)
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The Backpack Farm Program is a canvas backpack filled agro inputs, drip irrigation and a program of assessment, mobilization, training and monitoring to support the launch of local agriculture cooperatives. This agriculture program ensures rural farmers can mirror commercial food production models at a fraction of commercial costs.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
Rachel
Last Name
Zedeck
Website
Organization
Medea Group Limited - Backpack Farm Program
Country
Kenya
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
Medea Group Limited
Organization Website
Organization Phone
+254 (0) 729 498179
Organization Address
NA
Is your organization a
For‐profit
Organization Country
Kenya
Your idea
Name Your Project
The Backpack Farm Program (BPF)
Country your work focuses on
Kenya
Describe Your Idea
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The Backpack Farm Program is a canvas backpack filled agro inputs, drip irrigation and a program of assessment, mobilization, training and monitoring to support the launch of local agriculture cooperatives. This agriculture program ensures rural farmers can mirror commercial food production models at a fraction of commercial costs.
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
The Backpack Farm blends a variety of eco-friendly, agriculture technologies with a bottom of the pyramid economic models. The program also eliminates the need for traditional fertilizers while leveraging green water management.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
No
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Our program is helping commercial out-grower programs in East Africa to leverage small landholder farmers to produce food for both regional and export crop production. As this model proves its economic viability, it will help to attract commercial and donor investment.
Problem
Currently five countries in East Africa face acute food and livelihood crisis with persistent drought and food crisis. East Africa's children suffer the most. In Kenya alone, 1/3 of its children are malnourished while the rates are even higher in Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda.
Actions
The Backpack Farm team is currently building a 25 acre demo farm to draft its own impact study on our production models and prove our economic value chain. We are also building a strategic alliance with the Borlaug Institute, part of Texas A&M University to document the economic and social impact of our production model and programming. In addition to our commercial models, we are building a foundation which will build 10,000 school garden over the next 2 years.
Results
In the next 5-7 years, the Backpack Farm team would like to support one million - 1 acre small landholder farmers in East Africa. If we are able to support this number of rural, small landholder farmers in the East African marketplace, we will make a direct impact on the region's food crisis and economic viability of rural Africans.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
Year one, we must begin building a large scale commercial project to prove our value chain. We must prove that small landholder farmers are capable of supporting commercial production and investment. Year two, we must continue to attract commercial investors who are interested in building food production models targeting regional value chains rather than export marketplaces. Year three, we must expand the project outside of East and Central Africa.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
The only barrier the Backpack Farm program has to being successful si if we are unable to raise internal capital or market the program successfully to commercial investors. We must help prove that socially responsible commercial investment has much more impact on rural communities and regional food crisis than aid / donor funded programs which are overburdened and underfunded. But more importantly, we must prove that small landholders are capable of working together to produce core food crops such as cereals and pulses to help impact Africa's long standing food crisis.
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$50 - 100
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
In what country?
Kenya
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
John Deere Water Technologies
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
In January 2010, the Backpack Farm team plans to release a 328 page manual on how to successfully build a rural farming cooperative capable of supporting commercial food production models. No single company, government body or NGO is capable of solving Africa's food crisis alone. We must learn to work together, share ideas and work through agricultural innovation and programming designed to have a sustainable and quantifiable impact in rural Africa.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
Most important, we need to show quantitative impact in a rural farming community by helping to impact an existing farm group in Kenya. There are more than 3,000 registered farming cooperatives most of which have failed financially because they have never been supported to enter the wholesale market chain.
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
After three years of working in Iraq and then arriving in Southern Sudan in November 2006, I felt there had to be a better way to impact the people living in post conflict countries. It seemed very clear to me that if Africa was starving, it needed to grow more food with its own farmers. I wanted to build a simple concept which both the local farmers and internationals could understand while addressing the logistical nightmare of working in rural Africa. And this is where the Backpack Farm was born.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Rachel Zedeck solely incubated the Backpack Farm Program. The design and launch of the Backpack Farm was only possible with the technical assistance and commitment of the executive teams from Irrico International and Lachlan Agriculture. There is no singular here in the Backpack Farm team; together we make the "wonder" team.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Nutrition World
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| logo2642774_md.gif | 3.15 KB |
 | 135 weeks agoRache Zedeck said: Moises: Hi.... how funny you have my puppy's name. Now I promise to be serious. first, I love the questions.. thank you for the ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 135 weeks agoRache Zedeck said: Dana.. hi... I will take each of your questions separately: 1. Public policy is still a touchy one especially here in Africa. ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 135 weeks agoDana Frasz said: Hello, Can you please tell us more about how your project seeks to have an impact on public policy? Also, can you tell us more about ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 136 weeks agoMoises Herszenhorn said: Liked the idea, it seems easy to replicate and implement, mobility is key for what you want to achieve and this seems to be a creative ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 138 weeks agoRache Zedeck updated this Competition Entry. |
| 138 weeks agoRache Zedeck submitted this idea. |
