OUR APPROACH
Productive family farms provide food security and employment for a growing population in developing countries. However, individual farmers require supporting networks able to provide knowledge and capital. Our goal is to strengthen Farmers’ Organizations, but also, to make sure that Farmers’ Organizations know how to keep strong for many years to come.
The core of the support to farmers is the cooperation between Farmer’s Organizations, Finnish experts and us, also called “twinning”. Twinning is FFD’s way of applying farmer-to-farmer approach in practice. FFD defines twinning as institutional development by creating a peer-to-peer relationship between organizations with similar values with the purpose of working together for a common goal and learning from each other.
IDENTIFICATION & PLANNING
Contact with Farmers’ Organizations
Farmers’ Organizations are approached through our existing networks or they contact us directly.
We only work with democratically run Farmers’ Organizations that advance the interests of their members.
Finding the right expert
Experts are selected from our pool according to their experience and the needs of the Farmer’s Organization.
Shared mission
(multi-year)
We ensure that priorities and vision for the future come directly from the Farmers’ Organizations’ strategy, and we reflect on our actions to support their strategy.
Connecting the dots
Funding is usually available for two to three years through various funding channels. We have developed tools for project management that allow Farmers’ Organizations and their needs to be presented (or selected) according to the requirements of the funders. In this way, we also ensure the success of the projects.
Defining the right solution
Once we have established the contacts, analyzed the operating environment, opportunities and risks, and together with the Farmers’ Organization assessed their skills and needs, we help the Farmers’ Organization to determine how they want to develop.
IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
Managing the budget
When the dots are connected in a plan and the right solution is being implemented, it is necessary to revise the development of the workplan periodically. Proper accounting is an important learning present in all our projects.
Following timelines and activities
Monitoring is a continuous process during project implementation. During monitoring actual progress is compared to plans. Monitoring takes place at all levels (Farmers’ organizations and its members, expert organizations and us) and uses both formal reporting and informal communications.
Developing supportive networks
Farmers’ organizations are motivated to create linkages among similar organizations sharing their interests in order to multiply their learning and facilitate the scaling-up of the solutions found.
Implementing best practices
There are many ways to produce food, timber and other products. There are also many ways to commercialize them. We work with the best experts to know which approaches are most effective according to the context.
EVALUATION
Assessing
Evaluating projects thoroughly and understanding what worked and what didn’t, helps us in creating more successful projects. Furthermore, evaluations spark a dialogue that strengthens partnerships. The quality of FFD’s internal operations is ensured through a quality system. FFD was awarded a three-star quality certificate in May 2020.
Efficiency, effectiveness and quality
The performance of FFD is based on our theory of change and is measured and verified by performance management. Performance management emphasizes the learning process, which collects and interprets information to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of FFD’s work at three levels: FFD as an organization, the twinning organization and partner organizations. Monitoring and evaluation verify the best practices and lessons learnt that can be used to continuously develop both projects and program activities. Project monitoring is supported by the project result chain. The evaluations are planned to benefit both the partner organization and FFD. Therefore, the active involvement of partner organizations in the planning, implementation and monitoring of the implementation of their recommendations is key.
