The Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Africa University (now a department in the College of Health, Agriculture, and Natural Sciences) has realized the need to strengthen its link with the smallholder farmers in the area with the objective of helping improve productivity and incomes. Previous outreach activities like the mushroom and moringa projects have shown the value of providing demand-driven agricultural skills and technologies to farmers.
The SFRC will enhance the relevance of the University's curriculum and provide students and staff with a living laboratory platform accessible to the AU campus.
A challenge grant of $30,000 over three years has been offered to begin the work of the SFRC in hopes that Indiana Friends of AU in collaboration with local churches throughout the Indiana Conference, will contribute matching amounts of $10,000 for each of those years, providing an overall contribution of $60,000.
Persons are invited to contribute any amount by sending funds to Indiana Conference (SFRC). Please mark clearly for the Small Farm Resource Center. Funding will be forwarded to the Africa University office in Nashville TN. and will be made available for the SFRC project in Mutare, Zimbabwe as needed.
The AU Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources plans to host a Conference, October 25-26, with the premise of sharing informing guests about the Small Farm Resource Center, with a theme of "Enhancing growth through diversification." This opportunity will help raise awareness about the need for diversification in agriculture. As climate change continues to be a major factor in maintaining a healthy and sustainable agricultural environment, diversification in farming will provide reliable alternatives for food, help farmers promote a nutritional diet, earn an income, and provide for their families.
This is our opportunity to empower students at AU as well as smallholder farmers to better confront the challenges of food and nutrition security so desperately needed for African families.