SNV is a non-profit, international development organisation, established in the Netherlands in 1965. We have been present on the ground in developing countries for over 40 years, and now operate in 35 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Balkans. SNV’s 900 advisors in the field come from a variety of cultural and technical backgrounds, and over 60 per cent are nationals of the countries where we work.

Our aim is to alleviate poverty by enabling those on the lowest incomes to be part of social and economic networks and so increase their income and employment opportunities. More than half of our work focuses on economic and private sector development. Alongside this, we contribute to improving people’s access to basic services like water and sanitation, energy and education. We achieve both by strengthening local organisations.

Our approach in agriculture Our strength and experience lies in developing agricultural value chains and looking at the risks for small hold farmers. Our advisors work with farmers’ organisations and local businesses, particularly in remote areas. They help them to identify new opportunities and markets, ensure basic conditions and pass on appropriate knowledge and experience. They improve farmers’ own opportunities and income by, for example:

• bringing together farmer and businesses with others involved in the value chain to share knowledge and experience and explore market opportunities.
• providing training and services to help improve the quality of their produce
• helping them to acquire finances.
• planning strategies to guarantee basic conditions such as equipment, education and information, and food access.

These interventions give farmers and local businesses the practical knowledge and skills necessary to improve livelihoods in rural areas. This approach benefits not only individual producers but whole communities, by, for example, creating jobs.

Contact: Toon Keijsers

For more information please visit our website.