THRIVE: advancing farm diversification and inclusive value chains across East Africa
A new project, THRIVE, has launched across Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, bringing together soil restoration, crop diversification and inclusive markets to strengthen smallholder livelihoods and resilience.
- Agrobiodiversity
- Crop Diversity
- Ethiopia
- Indigenous Seeds
- Kenya
- Multifunctional Landscapes
THRIVE: advancing farm diversification and inclusive value chains across East Africa
A new project, THRIVE, has launched across Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, bringing together soil restoration, crop diversification and inclusive markets to strengthen smallholder livelihoods and resilience.
Across East Africa, climate shocks, soil degradation and biodiversity loss are putting increasing pressure on agricultural production, while fragmented markets, price volatility and limited access to finance constrain opportunities for farmers and rural businesses. Farmers need quality seed and planting material, healthy soils and the knowledge to respond to changing growing conditions, but they also depend on what happens beyond the farm, from aggregation and transport to reliable buyers and markets. Without these conditions, increasing production does not necessarily translate into higher incomes or more secure livelihoods. Yet the region also has considerable agricultural diversity that remains underused, including neglected and underutilized species (NUS) and nutrient-rich African indigenous vegetables (AIVs), which have the potential to contribute to more diverse farming systems and diets while creating additional sources of income and market opportunities.