Local sourcing versus importation of agricultural products contributes to local development and environmental sustainability. Indeed, local sourcing contributes to reducing GHG emissions required to import products and decreases the national import balance, while promoting local value addition and enhancing rural economic growth benefitting the livelihoods of farmers’ households.

EUCORD is a Brussels-based non-profit organization, registered in The Netherlands as a cooperative. We have country offices in Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, and Rwanda as well. We have staff in Nigeria, Senegal and DRC and past projects in Kenya, Uganda, and Burundi.

EUCORD collaborates with the agribusiness to support the development of agricultural value chains. We work mostly upstream of the value chain, training farmers and other value chain actors to meet the quantity and quality requirements of agroprocessors. EUCORD acts a neutral broker and facilitates the partnership between farmers, intermediaries and business in particular, but also agro-dealers, financial institutions, public extension agencies and other stakeholders. Working with the private sector usually 1) ensures that projects are continuing after the funding ends, 2) contributes to the project both in funding and on in-kind contributions and services, 3) speeds-up the implementation phase and 4) reaches a much higher impact and there better donor value for money.

EUCORD’s mission is to increase farmers’ capacity to sustainably grow quality crops matched to commercial needs of the agribusiness sector and in doing so, increase food security, develop the private sector and improve the livelihoods of rural communities. In order to achieve its mission, EUCORD chooses food crops that have an industrial demand and are important for household consumption. In addition to increasing food security and improving farmers’ livelihoods, the objective is to develop reliable and sustainable agri-food value chains. EUCORD’s strategy is to link local producers and agroprocessors by helping to develop agricultural value chains. This in turn creates sustainable sources of income, as the demand for raw materials remains stable. At the same time, improved production also contributes to surplus food crop production.

EUCORD’s starting point is to identify a clear and guaranteed market demand and then work backwards to see how farmers can be involved to meet this demand. We strive for win-win scenarios where agroprocessors are able to source quality raw materials, while farmers improve their livelihoods and increase their income. This is achieved by helping farmers to produce what they can sell, rather than sell what they produce. Thanks to the size and available resource from the private sector, the impact is usually done at a larger scale than other type of development initiatives, making the donor money better for value.

EUCORD often focuses on crops that have a dual purpose: for food security and for commercial use. These include cereals such as barley, maize, millet, sorghum, and rice; roots & tubers such as cassava and potatoes; leguminous crops such as cowpea, groundnuts and soybean; oil crops such as rapeseed and sesame; and lastly, high value crops including fruits and vegetables.

EUCORD is also active in reforestation activities involving tree planting, including native trees, fruit trees,
trees for woodcraft makers, etc.

Private partners may include food and beverage companies, animal feed producers or hotels and restaurants with a focus on local sourcing of agricultural products. They often need an intermediary to work with farmers. EUCORD serves as a bridge between the business and the farmers, acting as mediator to train and coach farmers on good agricultural practices, proper use of irrigation, and post-harvest handling and then to link them to the offtaker.

Public partners may include Ministries of Agriculture and their local branches, with whom we often partner to build the capacity of farmers. EUCORD also collaborates with national agricultural research institutes, to introduce agricultural technologies developed by them.

These partnerships are a perfect match of objectives: EUCORD is looking for stable, long-term markets to foster economic growth in African rural communities. Private partners are looking for good quality products, a stable long-term market, and agricultural expertise.

Category: Funding

As a non-profit organization, EUCORD can apply to bilateral and multilateral donors or private foundations that provide grants or contracts to support agricultural development. These public funds are often used to leverage cash and in-kind contributions from private sector partners.

Category: Funding

EUCORD does not promote GMOs or genetically modified organisms in its projects. EUCORD promotes both open-pollinated varieties and hybrid varieties developed through conventional plant breeding.

Category: Farmers

Conventional farming refers to methods that require external (chemical) inputs, advanced agricultural techniques and monocropping. By contrast, regenerative farming refers to practices that rely less on the use of external inputs, that promote crop diversification, and a more sustainable land-use. EUCORD doesn’t exclude the use of external inputs but we do promote agricultural practices that favour sustainable land use, such as crop rotation, agroforestry, minimum tillage and the use of organic fertilizer.

Category: Farmers

We ban child labor in our projects and train our staff to pay special attention to prevent child labor amongst our partners.

Farmers in Africa often struggle with hostile conditions, including degraded soils, drought and a large variety crop diseases and pests. EUCORD facilitates access to organic and mineral fertilizers and, when necessary, crop protection products that meet WHO standards and are registered locally. We also train farmers on the safe handling and correct use of any chemical inputs.

Category: Farmers

EUCORD uses a double-entry accounting system. The booking are done locally and then controlled at the HQ level. They are then outsourced to a specialized accounting firm based in Leuven (Belgium) called “The Klein Prins” specialized in NGO accounting. EUCORD books are managed by a system in the cloud called WINGS software.
EUCORD accounts are audited in details by VRC auditors, member of the Kreston International group. Internal controls are being done by a dedicated staff internally. Accountants and staff in country are selected trough a thorough selection process. Beside the use of international consultancies, EUCORD prefers to use in-country staff than expatriates.