Agriculture: Family Farm Suite

"More than 820 million people live in chronic hunger and more than 1 billion live on less than $1 a day. Many are small farmers in the developing world. Improvements in agriculture help people in poverty improve their lives. When small farmers are able to get more out of their land and labor, their families eat better, earn more money, and lead healthier lives." - The Gates Foundation

When seeking to alleviate hunger, it is essential to support small family farms in the developing world. A lack of tools and irrigation equipment prevents these farmers from feeding their families and their communities. To help support these farmers and the humanitarian organizations that serve them, IMEC developed the Family Farm Suite.

The IMEC Family Farm Suite provides farmers in developing nations with the necessary tools to support their families and communities. An IMEC Farm Suite contains all of the tools a small farmer needs to start and maintain his or her farm, including the tools to clear and maintain farmland, and to dig and plant and irrigate their crops.

The IMEC Family Farm Suite was developed with consultation from both U.S. agricultural schools and small farmers in developing countries. Each Suite allows the creation and maintenance of one new small family farm. These new small farms decrease hunger and increase self-sustainability in the area served. The family can now grow enough food for both their own consumption and enough surplus to bring to market, supporting their community for years to come.