The RAID Collaborative Platform

Our services will be backed by the RAID Collaborative Platform, a hybrid model that brings together development and private sector actors. Our primary goal is to build a collaborative platform, as a social enterprise that benefits small-scale, grassroots farmers by avoiding isolated efforts.

Through the RAID platform, stakeholders can share information to mitigate the duplication and overlap of activities, prevent unrealistic expectations, and ultimately benefit small-scale farmers.

This platform will allow RAID and its partners to better understand the context of small-scale farming, including local economies, agricultural practices, resource access, market dynamics, and the policy environment. This shared understanding helps us identify specific challenges and opportunities. It also enables organizations and policymakers to collectively track progress, measure the effectiveness of interventions, and make necessary adjustments.

The platform brings together a diverse group of actors—farmers, farming groups, agro-financial institutions, researchers, development agencies, and policymakers. By aligning our efforts and coordinating resources, we can more effectively modernize small-scale farming.

GENERAL ADVICE TO FARMERS

1. Never target peak seasons, peak seasons come with their own challenges. Be a farmer not a gambler.
2. Choose at least two main crops and a rotational crop plan. Jumping from one crop to another is not right to your pocket.
3. Plan your farm and always have the crops at different age stages, to ensure constant supply.
4. No crop that is not profitable, just master the pro and cons of a particular crop.
5. Having a lot of many is not a license to successful farming.
6. Have a spray and fertilizer plan and stick to it.
7. Never take advise from agrovets and agrochemical sales agent. Most of them are sales persons and not agronomists.

8.Try as much as possible to cut down on farm expenditure without compromising on produce quality.

9. Never hold back on a produce, if its a quick perishable product. Sell it at the prevailing prices.
10. Never plant a new seed on large scale before doing trials unless you have seen it somewhere.
11. Never entrust your million-dollar idea against a farmhand, ensure you are present during critical stages of crop development until marketing.
12. Never employ a close family member to manage your farm, most of them will fail you.

13. If you are neighbouring farmers plant same crop.
14. Never apply any farming information you get online, without consulting your agronomist.
15. Always have a farm plan.
16. Old is always good.

Most of the old seed varieties and chemicals will never disappoint you.

17. Passion in farming is key and will take you far.                              Be smart with land usage.