Press Release

John Deere Partners with CNFA to Increase Agricultural Efficiency through Mechanization

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), an international agricultural development organization, and John Deere, a leading agricultural equipment supplier, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at increasing productivity and income for smallholder farmers through mechanization.

John Deere and CNFA share the belief that mechanization is essential for the transformation of agriculture, particularly in labor intensive, subsistence agricultural systems. Yet, many smallholder farmers lack the access to capital and information surrounding best farming practices to invest in equipment and technologies, such as tractors, that hold the potential to increase farm productivity.

Under the new agreement, John Deere and CNFA aim to help facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness and increase productivity by providing mechanization to smallholder farmers through John Deere’s S.M.A.R.T. program.  This program includes a comprehensive suite of equipment and services that help emerging farmers, entrepreneurs, and farmer groups to invest in new profitable and sustainable contracting businesses.  The outcomes of these new businesses will increase productivity and incomes for smallholder farmers by improving access to and utilization of tractors, implements, and farm mechanization services.

“Sustainable agricultural mechanization is vital to increasing agricultural productivity and therefore the profitability of farming,” said CNFA President and CEO Sylvain Roy. “We look forward to partnering with John Deere to jointly promote agricultural mechanization as a critical way to improve competitiveness, enhance nutritional outcomes and drive global food security.”

“John Deere is committed to self-sustaining mechanization businesses on the continent of Africa,” according to Jacques Taylor, Deere’s Managing Director for Africa.  “Our S.M.A.R.T. campaign has been highly successful and has proven to facilitate dramatic increases in production and incomes.  This partnership with CNFA will allow us to feature these solutions and transform farming on the African continent.”

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CNFA: Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 45 countries around the world.

John Deere: Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) is a world leader in providing advanced products and services and is committed to the success of customers whose work is linked to the land – those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world’s dramatically increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure. Since 1837, John Deere has delivered innovative products of superior quality built on a tradition of integrity. For more information, visit John Deere at its worldwide website at www.JohnDeere.com.

Media Contact:

CNFA: publicrelations@cnfa.org