Effects and impact of Fert’s actions in Sub-Saharan Africa : reflections on two years of study !

In 2022, Fert and the Institut Agro Montpellier undertook a study of the impact of its actions in sub-Saharan Africa as part of the TransFert multi-country co-financed by the AFD.

At the same time, a study was carried out to capitalize on Fert’s 35-year experience in Madagascar. These two closely related studies, coordinated by teacher-researcher Betty Wampfler, have resulted in a number of publications that are now available to the general public.

Consult our studies in french to discover the impact of Fert’s actions in Sub-Saharan Africa and access additional resources.

Consult the capitalization of 35 years of Fifata support

Consult impact studies

Consult the booklet “Fert in Madagascar - 35 years”.

Studies, for what purpose?

After 9 years of program support to partner producer organizations (POs) in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya and Madagascar, Fert has initiated two complementary studies:

A study of the effects and impact of Fert’s action since 2015 with partner POs in 4 sub-Saharan African countries: organizations of cowpea producers in Burkina Faso, local groups in Côte d’Ivoire, the Cereal Growers Association in Kenya and the Fifata group in Madagascar.
A capitalization of Fert’s approach based on the example of 35 years of partnership with Fifata in Madagascar.

For these two studies, the aim was not to provide mathematical proof of impact and deliver a “success story” to be duplicated. For Fert, the aim was to contribute to the retrospective analysis of its action, to the consolidation of its approach and to forward-looking reflection. For the partner POs, these studies provide input for the management of their services, the consolidation of their structure and governance, and their strategic thinking with a view to sustainability and viability. Finally, for each of the players involved, the two studies enable them to report back, explain their choices and approaches, share the process, question it collectively, and learn from it in terms of the methods used to support agricultural development.

A methodology co-developed with Institut Agro Montpellier

Fert wished to conduct these studies in a collaborative manner, mobilizing both internal skills (Fert and its partners in the various countries) and external skills (Institut Agro Montpellier: teacher-researcher, students, consultants). Relying on a rigorous scientific approach, the methodology co-constructed for the two studies is based on two principles:

Actors are the foundation of social change and its sustainability : the studies focused on characterizing changes for key actors (farmers, their farms, their POs, Fert), and understanding the processes (narratives) that contributed to them and the contexts in which they evolve. This required an “understanding” posture, enabling the players to express themselves fully and serenely.
The decisions taken by stakeholders – farmers, organizations and other players – are part of a systemic logic, both on the meso scale of the stakeholder system and on the micro scale of the family farm (production system, farming system, activity system). For each case studied, this meant taking into account the diversity of contexts, partnerships implemented, achievements and difficulties encountered, results and effects observed… Different sources of qualitative and quantitative information were mobilized and cross-referenced in each country.

Contrasting results by country and partner PO

The four support programs analyzed are difficult to compare in terms of impact, given their different contexts, partners and support durations.

However, Fert’s support trajectory can be broken down into four stages.

First, an initial diagnosis shared in all contexts: family farms are caught in a vicious circle of poverty and vulnerability.
The construction and implementation, within collectives, of basic services likely to break the vicious circle of poverty.
The implementation, by a network of organizations, of a system of services responding to the systemic needs of EAFs.
Support for sustainability and spin-offs to enable a gradual change of scale.

At each stage, the factors favoring or limiting the effects are explained for each context/country.

“The analysis of effects and impact highlights the transformative capacities of the support approach used by Fert. This type of support can lead to profound changes in the living conditions of family farms, in people’s perception of the farming profession, and in the ability of family farms to structure themselves and face future challenges.”

Betty WampflerInstitut Agro Montpellier

Support engineering

Through the experience of 35 years of partnership with Fifata in Madagascar, the fundamental principles of Fert’s approach were made explicit:

The farmer at the center: considering the farmer as the author of his or her own development, and not considering itself empowered to define an action program based on its own expertise. In other words, Fert has no preconceived project or model, but accompanies farmers’ initiatives according to their needs.
Fert’s local presence and continuity enable us to stay in direct touch with the contexts in which farmers evolve, to create a relationship of trust and thus understand their needs and translate them into action.

More than a classic development aid relationship, this experience proved to be profoundly singular in its nature, duration and ability to invent a new and progressively balanced mode of relationship. The partnership was not without its tensions and misunderstandings, but in the end it led to a genuine, trusting partnership between two organizations from two different worlds.

Based on these principles, Fert’s action takes the form of :

A strong investment in training for all categories of players: producers, leaders, young farmers, agricultural advisors, technicians and PO executives, etc…
An interface function to coordinate exchanges between peers
Financial engineering that combines stable resources and shorter-term financing for long-term action.

“Fert places farmers at the heart of its mission. Each initiative stems directly from the needs and ideas of the farmers themselves. Fert’s approach is based in particular on the figure of the relay farmer: individuals selected for their openness to innovation, their desire to share their knowledge and their ability to lead others. These relay farmers are essential, acting as key intermediaries between farmers in the field and agricultural advisors, facilitating the dissemination of knowledge and improved agricultural practices. While retaining their independence, farmers benefit from the personalized support of agricultural advisors, who help them to identify and implement solutions adapted to their specific challenges. By supporting Fert, Unigrains is making a significant and rewarding commitment. For the past 40 years, Unigrains has contributed to Fert’s development through annual financial support, marking its enduring commitment to a positive and measurable societal impact.”

Kristell GUILLOUChief Financial Officer, Unigrains

Studies, for what purpose?

A methodology co-developed with Institut Agro Montpellier

Contrasting results by country and partner PO

Support engineering

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