Striving to build strong, sustainable, scientific foundations for Zambian smallholder farmer groups.
We operate an inclusive, low-risk seasonal loan system. FOF provides certified, high-yielding crop seeds, inoculants, and crop protection directly to farmer cooperatives on zero-cash seasonal credit. The loan value is safely offset at harvest time when FOF buys back the crop directly from the farmer.
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FOF is a registered multiplier of foundational seed stock in Zambia. In close scientific alliance with the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) and ICRISAT, we multiply high-value, drought-resilient legumes, cowpeas, and sweet sorghum varieties. These seeds are certified and recirculated to farmers.
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FOF drives sorghum production as a key climate-resilient alternative to maize. We distribute foundational white and sweet sorghum seed varieties which require 50% less rainfall. We link sorghum growers directly to national food processors and animal feed manufacturers.
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Groundnuts (peanuts) are the cornerstone of Eastern Province smallholder farming. FOF promotes premium edible groundnut varieties that are naturally high in protein and oil. We provide testing kits and training to ensure our groundnut stocks are completely aflatoxin-free.
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FOF operates localized buying depots directly within rural communities, completely bypassing exploitative grain brokers. FOF sets fair, transparent, and standardized weigh scales. Grains are weighed in the presence of cooperative heads, and payments are made instantly into cooperative accounts.
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Women constitute approximately 75% of FOF outgrower participants. FOF structures specific training modules tailored to female heads of households. We link women's cooperatives to village micro-savings schemes, allowing female members to save together and secure low-cost mutual loans for school fees or family needs.
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