Agriculture and rural development
For sustainable, inclusive agriculture that creates value
Ginger SOFRECO supports rural stakeholders in their transition to high-performance, resilient and environmentally-friendly agricultural systems rooted in their communities.
Our initiatives aim at improving food security, supporting agricultural entrepreneurship – particularly among young people and women – and promoting environmentally-friendly practices.
With activities that span the entire value chain, we help to structure sectors, improve access to markets and financing and support local development initiatives. Our work is based on a participative and multidisciplinary approach that closely aligns with the needs of rural populations.
Projects
Years of experience
Experts mobilised
Our sectors of work
Ginger SOFRECO has been working in agriculture and rural development for almost 40 years, with around 500 technical assistance projects and studies implemented in 85 countries. We operate mainly within the following sectors:
Agricultural policies and institutions
Sector support and agricultural consulting
Supporting rural communities and financing agriculture
Sustainable irrigation management
Livestock and veterinary services
Rural and regional development
Agricultural policies and institutions
Ginger SOFRECO works to develop agricultural policies and to strengthen institutions.
- Development of sectoral policies to improve the efficient management of land, natural resources (water and soil) and agricultural technologies for food security and economic development
- Improvement of the tools and systems used by national statistical institutions to ensure comprehensive policy analysis and informed decision-making
- Strengthening of strategic planning skills to increase the sustainability of agricultural practices
- Improvement of policies on agricultural infrastructure and those which aim to increase agricultural productivity while bolstering the sector’s sustainability
Our mission is to provide a robust framework for agricultural development, adapted to the specific needs of each environment. Ginger SOFRECO promotes strategies that encourage the active involvement of local stakeholders, thereby ensuring efficient and locally-adapted implementation.
Our references in agriculture and rural development
Technical assistance for the transfer of management of irrigated lands to farmers, access to services and the establishment of a technological innovation centre (Bénoué Valley Development and Investment Valorisation Project - VIVA Bénoué) ( 2024 - 2027 )
Technical assistance for: i) the development, structuring and monitoring of water user associations (WUAs) and their umbrella bodies for the management of built and rehabilitated irrigation schemes, ii) the management of electronic vouchers to boost agricultural production, iii) the creation of an Agricultural Technology Innovation Centre, and iv) communication and awareness-raising among target populations.
Technical Assistance for the Climate Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project ( 2020 - 2026 )
The project aims to:
- Improve and ensure the climate resilience of critical infrastructure for agri-food sectors (small-scale irrigation infrastructure, rural roads, research centres, laboratories, etc.);
- Promote climate-smart agriculture (CSA): deployment of resilient varieties, capacity building in CSA, organic farming and agribusiness, establishment of financial and technical support for agricultural production groups, etc.;
- Foster an environment conducive to the development of environmentally friendly agri-food businesses: formulation of agri-food policies and standards, promotion of green financing and climate risk-sharing mechanisms, creation of public-private partnerships.
This technical assistance supports government agencies involved in project implementation by strengthening technical and management capacities and ensuring compliance with environmental and social safeguards and government policies.
PARSIFAL Project Management Unit (support on social resilience, infrastructure forests and agriculture in Lebanon) ( 2020 - 2025 )
PARSIFAL supports municipalities in improving access to employment and employability for vulnerable populations, increasing agricultural productivity coupled with sustainable surface water management, and preserving landscapes and soils (erosion control), focusing on three operational components:
- Construction and rehabilitation of agricultural and water infrastructure in vulnerable areas of Akkar and Bekaa (total grants: €7,901,500);
- Reforestation of municipal land, with a ‘cash for work’ approach (total grant: €3,950,750);
- Employability and agricultural and forestry training for young people (total grant: €1,481,530).
The Project Management Unit monitors the implementation of the operational components and provides technical assistance for the management of the PARSIFAL Project, including support for procurement, accounting and financial management, technical supervision, and the preparation of training and communication activities.
réf fiche référence seule ( 2024 - 2028 )
The objectives of the two VIVA projects are to provide sustainable irrigation and drainage services and to improve agricultural production (particularly rice) and marketing in the main irrigated areas of northern and far northern Cameroon. The three technical assistance programmes mobilised are supporting:
- The implementation of subsidy mechanisms for agricultural and agribusiness plans through matching grants;
- The structuring of Centres for Rural Economy and Management (CREMs);
- The development, structuring and monitoring of water user associations (WUAs) and their umbrella organisations for the management of irrigated areas;
- The development and implementation of an electronic voucher management system for access to agricultural inputs;
- The creation of an Agricultural Technology Innovation Centre.
Technical assistance for the implementation of the Territorial Development Support Programme (PADT) – ''National strategy for the development of rural areas and mountain zones'' component (SNDERZM) ( 2021 - 2024 )
The objective of the PADT was to achieve sustainable improvement in living conditions and reduce territorial disparities in rural and mountain areas, in particular through the development of integrated and territorialised economic and environmental projects.
This technical assistance supported the Ministry of Agriculture at the central level and the Regional Directorate of Agriculture in the two pilot regions (Béni Mellal-Khénifra and Oriental) in the implementation of the SNDERZM. It ensured the strengthening of know-how, both at the central (strategic) and regional (operational) levels, by providing approaches and tools and by strengthening the capacities of stakeholders to identify regional development potential and to design and implement an ‘Integrated Development Ecosystem’ and ‘Priority Environmental Projects’.
Technical assistance to the Institutional Strengthening for Agricultural Resilience Programme (RINDRA) ( 2019 - 2025 )
The RINDRA Programme aimed to strengthen the institutions of the Ministries of Agriculture and the Environment by assessing situations and capacities, identifying needs, formulating and implementing responses, and capitalising on lessons learned. The technical assistance provided support to:
- The Department of Agricultural and Rural Training for the renovation of the Agricultural and Rural Training system;
- The Department of Veterinary Services for the development and safety of livestock products;
- The Plant Protection Department to facilitate access to export markets;
- The Department of the Agricultural Development Fund to strengthen small farms' access to agricultural services and financing;
- The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development to strengthen governance in the environment, forest management and forestry sectors;
- The External Cooperation Support Office in programme management.
Dedicated teams
Ginger SOFRECO's Agriculture and Rural Development Department is a dynamic, multidisciplinary team comprising a Director, a Deputy Director and a team of a dozen project managers and assistants.
Our team consists mostly of agricultural engineers with a wide range of specialisations, such as rural economics, the environment, tropical agriculture, farming techniques and livestock farming. This professional diversity ensures an integrated and complementary approach to projects.
Our members' professional backgrounds cover fields such as the structuring of agricultural sectors, agroecology, agricultural consultancy, rural infrastructure, institutional support and nutrition.
Drawing on their sound experience in the field, our staff members have piloted and contributed to numerous expert and management projects, mainly in Africa and Asia, but also in Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. This wealth of experience helps us to adapt to local settings and ensures that our operations are successful.
In-house staff
regular experts
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