Dear Treasured MicroLoan Supporter,
Female smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are some of the poorest people in the world.
These women often work long, exhausting days on the farm, low on energy without enough food to eat. A lack of food weakens immunity, and many mothers face the devastation of losing their son or daughter to malnutrition.
Female farmers and their families will face hunger multiple times this year. Here’s why:
Nutritious foods like vegetables, beans and meat are unaffordable for many families. A diet of mostly maize or rice results in undernutrition.
Female farmers have less potential for success than their male counterparts because they struggle to get funding. They are unable to invest in high quality seed and fertiliser to maximise their productivity and profits. Women also have less bargaining power at local markets so they’ll often get a lower price for their produce.
Women take on 75% of all domestic (unpaid) work. They are often preoccupied with childcare, cooking and household responsibilities, so have less time to dedicate to their farms.
Smallholder farmers bear the brunt of the climate change crisis and frequently face crippling weather conditions such as flooding and droughts.
COVID-19 restrictions meant that market places were closed. Perishable food went to waste, and many farming businesses collapsed.
90% of the entrepreneurs in MicroLoan’s network are female smallholder farmers.
With your help, our Treasured Microloan Supporter, they can access the finance and training to turn their farms into profitable businesses, generating an income to feed their families nutritious meals every single day.
Don’t let another female farmer miss a meal, donate today.
Any donation, big or small, will help us to achieve our goal.
With gratitude,
Brtan Keen,
Founder, MicroLoan Foundation Australia
Published on: 08/09/2021
