How Better Life Farming is Uplifting Smallholders

At Netafim, we recognize the untapped potential within these communities and the critical need to support their growth and sustainability. However, the economic reality is challenging; smallholder farmers typically have limited purchasing power and are often located in remote areas, making traditional business models unsustainable without some form of government subsidy.

The stark reality is that these farmers, who provide a substantial portion of our food, frequently face hunger and poverty.  As a farmer myself, and with over 20 years of experience working with smallholder farmers, I have witnessed these challenges firsthand. I know that with the right equipment and training, so much can be achieved. However, the relatively high cost of irrigation systems (compared to just 100 grams of seeds) in these countries, remains a significant barrier.

Addressing these challenges requires a transformative approach. Only by pooling resources and knowledge can we unlock the true potential of smallholder farms and create a sustainable future for all.

A Collaborative Solution: Better Life Farming

In 2017, Bayer, a global enterprise with core expertise in healthcare and agriculture, approached us at Netafim and introduced their Better Life Farming initiative; an alliance of global companies and local partners that provide smallholders in remote areas with the resources and solutions they need to thrive. Bayer realized that no commercial company could achieve this alone and recognized the need for a financing partner.

This collaborative approach aligned perfectly with Netafim’s core principle of “Partners for Success.” The Bayer-Netafim-IFC-Yara partnership, along with additional off-takers who purchase the crops, local partners and other players in the food value chain (such as machinery and crop protection), presented a real opportunity for driving change. Seeing the potential for economic, social, and environmental sustainability while ensuring economic viability, we joined the alliance.

How Does it Work?

Our goal is to enable this transformation by providing a last-mile delivery ecosystem that addresses the most pressing agricultural needs in the regions we serve. To make it happen Bayer carefully selects agri-entrepreneurs; young and ambitious individuals from within the farming community. Each agri-entrepreneur operates a physical store, serving as a one-stop shop for farmers in 2-3 nearby villages. These stores carry products from the alliance partners (such as irrigation solutions from Netafim and seeds and crop protection from Bayer) as well as other farming equipment and locally relevant products and solutions the agri-entrepreneur chooses to carry. Each agri-entrepreneur receives training on the products and technologies and agronomic support from the alliance partners and becomes a local hub where farmers can purchase farming inputs and receive expert advice.  

The Outcome

Fast forward 7 years, and this visionary idea which was piloted in 2017 in one country with 250 smallholders who cultivated a total of 200 hectares, has expanded by 2023 to seven countries, over 2700 BLF centers, and over 1.2 million smallholders.  On average, these smallholders double their yield and triple their profitability. In hundreds of villages, the Better Life Farming partnership has proven to improve the lives of rural smallholders, their families and their local communities.

Seeds of Change

A great positive example is Kalyani Singh, a 24 year old farmer from Tutki Nawadih, a village in the Indian state of Jharkhand. She is a first-generation college student who returned home and took control of a small plot of land near her family’s farm.

When Kalyani came back home after college, she met a woman who was an agri-entrepreneur at Better Life Farming, who told Kalyani about all of the support she could gain by utilizing her local BLF Center.

Kalyani found the center to be a one stop solution to all her field problems; availability of inputs, guidance and other facilities along with the ability to utilize time, effort and money properly.

On her three-acre farm, Kalyani started cultivating tomatoes, and with access to stronger seeds and information on modern irrigation practices from Better Life Farming, achieved a 50% yield increase and 40% more income from her farm.

A Win-Win For All

The Better Life Farming initiative creates a powerful win-win scenario for all involved. Alliance partners, such as Netafim and Bayer, are uplifting rural communities while engaging in a business model with tangible economic benefits. Smallholders gain much needed access to high-quality farming inputs and expert advice, thanks to the local Better Life Farming centers. And local distributors are gaining more customers to sell to through the BLF centers. This symbiotic relationship fosters growth, profitability, and sustainability, driving long-term success for both alliance partners, smallholders and local distributors.

Looking Ahead

Today, the alliance operates over 2,700 Better Life Farming centers and is expanding to cover the entire smallholder ecosystem; loan guarantees, insurance, mechanized equipment, storage, and market access.

As the Better Life Farming initiative establishes a presence in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mexico, Honduras, Tanzania, and the Ivory Coast, it becomes clear that smallholder farming communities have the potential to lift themselves out of poverty once they get access to advanced agricultural technology, high-quality seeds, fertilizers, crop protection, and reliable market access. 

Every new center that is opened, and each farmer empowered, is proof of the profound impact that thoughtful collaboration can have. But beyond the numbers and the business gains, at the heart of every initiative are the human stories—stories of individuals like Kalyani Singh, who found not just success but a sustainable future right in her hometown.

These stories fuel our commitment to drive change where it's most needed. They remind us that when we come together, the potential is limitless. We don't just grow crops, we grow lives, communities, and possibilities.

As for me, I feel closer to achieving my vision; a world where those who have, help those who don’t. Practically, this means large companies offsetting their greenhouse gas emissions by subsidizing precision irrigation systems for smallholders. This would enable smallholders to transition from flood to drip irrigation for crops like rice and "sell" carbon credits to these companies to offset their remaining emissions.

The Better Life Farming partnership is a significant step in this direction, and I am extremely proud to be a part of it.