About Mountain Lion Agriculture
Information for FARMERS & SUPPLIERS
A One-Stop Shop For Smallholder Rice Farmers
Our Approach
The history of outgrower schemes and smallholder farmer support in Sub-Saharan Africa has been mixed at best. Many initiatives have failed because they address only one of the many fundamental constraints facing smallholders. They may provide farmers with credit, for instance, without providing access to equipment or improved inputs. Conversely, equipment has in the past been supplied to smallholders in Sierra Leone without access to spare parts or improved inputs, and has had little to no effect.
Mountain Lion Agriculture (MLAg) conducted an intensive feasibility study in 2008 of Sierra Leone’s rice farmers to understand ALL of the constraints holding smallholder livelihoods and productivity back. The result of this study led to Mountain Lion Agriculture’s uniquely effective business idea to provide a “one-stop-shop” for smallholders, providing a complete package of solutions to every single constraint they face. This idea was put into action in 2010 and has gone on to prove itself as one of the most exciting and effective solutions for smallholder productivity and livelihood enhancement in sub-Saharan Africa.
A One-Stop-Shop for Smallholder Rice Farmers
Our business idea has proven itself and won the 2013 Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund Award and 2014 Canadian Social Finance Awards. It involves a highly effective, data-drive outgrower capacity development methodology supported by Sierra Leone’s most modern, high quality rice Mill. This rice Mill is the anchor of our business model, allowing us to process and sell high quality rice into the domestic market (as a part of our impact focus we sell 100% domestically and do not export). Our business depends on our suppliers as we have no nucleus farm and effective smallholder support is fundamental to our success. Specifically, MLAg currently provides over 4200 smallholders access to interest-free, in-kind input loans; training; access to modern equipment and access to market. These services have been carefully developed around the results of our 2008 feasibility study, and are continuously refined by our innovative smallholder data collection tool (IFORM) to ensure we provide everything smallholder rice farmers need to grow. The results we have demonstrated have clearly affirmed the success and effectiveness of this “one-stop-shop” approach: in a 2014/2015 study, KPMG found our farmers were on average growing their incomes by 299 USD per year, and approximately doubled production after only one year.
Building Relationships in the Community
By developing a unique relationship with farmers based on cooperation, fairness, direct participation in the Business (including equity), and the benefits of our loyalty program, Mountain Lion Agriculture ensures a high volume of consistent inputs by being a positive force in the community.
Please see below for our company theme, written by our local staff for farmer meetings and training. It captures the spirit and passion with which we work!
