Tag Archive for: agriculture

The Most Strategically Important BAM Opportunity of Our Generation? Agribusiness!

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by Mark Ingram

 

According to Joshua Project, the overwhelming majority of the world’s remaining unreached people groups are located in rural, economically vulnerable, and often geographically isolated regions across Asia, Africa, and parts of the Middle East. This reality carries profound implications for the future of global missions.

Agriculture is not merely an economic activity in these contexts—it is the foundational structure of life itself. It shapes family systems, community relationships, land use, nutrition, income stability, migration patterns, education access, and social resilience. In many unreached regions, farming is the dominant livelihood of the majority population. As a result, any missions paradigm seeking long-term presence, credibility, sustainability, and transformational impact in these regions must engage meaningfully with rural economic realities.

Business as Mission (BAM) agribusiness therefore represents far more than a funding mechanism or entrepreneurial trend. It may constitute one of the most strategically important missiological developments of the 21st century.

Unlike externally dependent models that can struggle with sustainability, restricted access environments, donor fatigue, or perceptions of foreign dependency, BAM agribusiness has the potential to embed Gospel witness within the ordinary economic fabric of rural life. It enables long-term relational presence among communities while simultaneously addressing tangible challenges such as poverty, food insecurity, unstable markets, low productivity, unemployment, and exploitative value chains.

This is especially significant because many frontier missions contexts are not primarily urban knowledge economies. They are agrarian societies. In such contexts, agribusiness may provide:

•⁠ ⁠legitimate social and economic participation,
•⁠ ⁠durable local credibility,
•⁠ ⁠pathways for local leadership development,
•⁠ ⁠opportunities for discipleship within everyday life,
•⁠ ⁠and sustainable mechanisms for community flourishing.

Importantly, BAM agribusiness also aligns with the reality that local believers and entrepreneurs are often better positioned than foreign missionaries to build enduring influence in restricted or sensitive environments. Enterprise-based models can create decentralized, locally owned, economically viable ecosystems that are significantly more resilient than heavily centralized institutional models.

The strategic implications are enormous.

If even a modest percentage of global Christian missions capital were progressively redirected toward well-designed BAM agribusiness ecosystems—particularly those focused on smallholder farming communities, rural processing, irrigation, market systems, and local enterprise development—the Church could potentially mobilize billions of dollars toward sustainable, embedded, and multiplying frontier engagement over coming decades.

In this sense, BAM agribusiness should not be viewed merely as “missions plus business.” Rather, for large portions of the unreached rural world, it may become one of the most practical and scalable frameworks through which long-term Gospel presence, community transformation, economic dignity, and indigenous church formation can occur together.

Join the Movement

This is not just a conversation for those in agriculture, although we’d love to hear from you! If you’re a pastor who wants to support rural evangelism, an investor seeking redemptive impact, a technologist, agronomist, business coach, or prayer partner—you’re needed.

Help us build a global, diverse, and Spirit-led response to the call of the Great Commission through agribusiness.

👉  Find out more about the Consultation on BAM and Agribusiness here

👉  Connect with the new Global Sowers initiative here

👉  Contact the BAM Agribusiness team at ag@bamglobal.org

 

 Mark Ingram is the Co-founder of the BAM agribusiness network Global Sowers and Founder and CEO of LINC Strategies. LINC Strategies is a collective of poverty alleviation specialists dedicated to crafting innovative and sustainable business solutions. Mark has over 25 years’ experience in the development of high impact inclusive business ventures. His experience includes founding the award-winning non-profit Business for Development, where he built inclusive agribusiness projects across Africa, Asia and the Pacific; Chief Impact Officer of Brightlight Group, developing impact strategy for social impact investment funds across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific; Trade Commissioner & Consul General for the New Zealand Government, establishing the Melbourne Consulate, catalyzing trans-Tasman agrotechnology and biotechnology alliances and trade. With this knowledge and experience, he has consulted to over 100 clients including ASX-200 listed companies, the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program, the World Economic Forum, Australian and New Zealand Governments, international non-government organizations, and large Foundations across the world.



 

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Photo by EqualStock on Unsplash

Rethinking Rural Prosperity: Why Farmers Need a New Model  

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by Ratnakar Vallabhaneni

 

Introduction

Agriculture still feeds the world—yet millions of farmers remain trapped in poverty. Across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and even parts of developed nations, smallholders grow our food but struggle to sustain themselves.

Despite their critical role, many face fragile livelihoods, low incomes, and limited access to markets and services. This isn’t due to lack of effort or skill—it’s a systemic failure that concentrates wealth away from those who produce it.

To bridge the agricultural wealth gap, we must rethink rural economies through the lens of economic justice and transformation. The traditional model is broken. The solution? Farmer Producer Cooperatives (FPCs)—collective, farmer-owned enterprises that create power, scale, and prosperity.

The Agricultural Wealth Gap

The Problem

Over 500 million smallholders produce 70% of the world’s food, yet many live on less than $2 per day (FAO). They face:

  • Low, volatile incomes
  • Fragmented landholdings
  • Weak bargaining power
  • Dependency on middlemen
  • Limited access to finance, infrastructure, and information

They grow what we eat—but often can’t afford nutritious food themselves.

Where Does the Wealth Go?

The problem isn’t just low productivity—it’s lost value. Smallholders sell raw produce at thin margins while profits flow to intermediaries.

Examples:

  • Ethiopian coffee: Farmers earn 1–3% of retail price; brands capture 80%+.
  • West African cocoa: Produces 66% of supply, yet most farmers live below the poverty line.
  • Indian/Kenyan mangoes: Sold cheaply by farmers, while processed mango products earn 10x more abroad.

The global food system extracts wealth from those at the base.

Why Traditional Approaches Fall Short

Billions have been spent on subsidies, training, and productivity. While helpful, these efforts often ignore the business side of farming—value addition, branding, marketing, and ownership.

“You cannot farm your way out of poverty by only growing more; you must earn more from what you grow.”

To break the poverty cycle, farmers must move up the value chain.

Collective Enterprise: The Power of Farmer Producer Cooperatives (FPCs)

Why Individual Farmers Can’t Win Alone

Isolated smallholders lack the scale and leverage needed for profitable enterprise. But when farmers come together, they gain power. Imagine if they could:

  • Procure inputs collectively → cut costs
  • Aggregate harvests → demand better prices
  • Process, package, and brand produce → capture more value
  • Access loans and insurance as a business → manage risks
  • Train each other → build knowledge and resilience

This isn’t a fantasy—it’s already happening, just not at scale.

What Is an FPC?

An FPC is a farmer-owned, legally registered business that helps producers organize, add value, and earn more. It shifts the mindset from “me” to “we”, from fragmented to organized.

Benefits of FPCs:

  • Scale up production
  • Share infrastructure
  • Negotiate better deals
  • Brand and market collectively
  • Strengthen financial access

Global Examples of FPC Success

  • India: Over 10,000 FPCs registered since 2013. Some export branded products, increasing farmer incomes.
  • Kenya: Githunguri Dairy Cooperative processes and sells branded milk, owned by member-farmers.
  • Philippines: Marketing cooperatives for coconut and banana help bypass exploitative traders.
  • USA: Land O’Lakes and Ocean Spray — billion-dollar cooperatives owned by farmers.
  • Europe: Dutch and Danish cooperatives dominate dairy and horticulture markets through farmer-led innovation.

Where farmers own the enterprise, rural transformation follows.

From Survival to Prosperity: Rethinking the Rural Economy

 

Old Paradigm New Paradigm
Individual survival Collective wealth creation
Input subsidies Market-driven enterprise
Price taker Price setter
Low-value raw goods High-value branded products
Manual labor Innovation and knowledge
Rural stagnation Rural economic engines

Why Now?

1. Digital Disruption

Mobile tech, e-commerce, fintech, and traceability tools are reaching farmers, enabling better market access and transparency.

2. Climate Resilience

FPCs can jointly invest in sustainable practices, shared insurance, and climate-smart infrastructure.

3. Youth Engagement

FPCs can attract rural youth by offering ownership, purpose, and innovation in agriculture.

Who Needs to Act?

This transformation requires effort across sectors:

  • Farmers → must collaborate and take ownership
  • Governments → shift from subsidy-driven to enterprise-driven support
  • NGOs & CSR → build institutional capacity, not dependency
  • Academia & tech → co-create scalable, accessible tools
  • Investors → treat FPCs as viable, investable ventures

Conclusion: Lighting the Fire

The rural economy doesn’t need pity—it needs power. Power to negotiate. Power to innovate. Power to create lasting wealth.

FPCs are not just about producing more—they’re about owning more. They offer a path for smallholders to become business leaders, not just beneficiaries.

Farmers shouldn’t just grow food.
They should grow wealth.
They shouldn’t just produce commodities.
They should own brands.

Call to Action

This is a rural issue. But also a food system issue, a climate issue, and a justice issue.

If you’re a policymaker, entrepreneur, development partner, or young farmer—join us.

Join the Movement

BAM Global is currently conveining a Consultation on BAM Agribusiness.

Help us build a global, diverse, and Spirit-led response to the call of the Great Commission through agribusiness.

👉 Find out more here

👉 Get in touch with the team at ag@bamglobal.org

 

Coming later this month: Part 2 – “FPCs Demystified: Building Wealth from the Ground Up”

 

Dr. Ratnakar Vallabhaneni (RK) is a renowned Plant Biologist and Agricultural Scientist, specializing in plant secondary metabolism, biofortification, and sustainable crop solutions. As Founder and CSO of Glean ACRE Pty Ltd, he drives innovative, scalable solutions in agrobiotechnology, green chemistry, and regenerative agriculture, enhancing food security and resilience.



Photo by Dibakar Roy on Unsplash

 

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The Story Behind the Sunshine Approach: A Journey of Faith, Surrender and Calling

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by Don Larson

 

Over the past decade, many people have enjoyed our premium cashews. We started in the Whole Foods Market in 2015, where we proudly remain, and are now growing our footprint to the four corners of the world. But what many don’t know is what’s behind the brand. The story isn’t just about cashews. It’s about faith, surrender, and a calling that turned into a movement.

I spent most of my professional life in corporate America, most notably with Hershey Chocolate in Pennsylvania, where I grew up nearby. I met my wife at Penn State, and we got engaged the week after graduation. Over 40 years later, we’re still side by side. At age 29, both of us became Christians, and over the years, our faith deepened.

Fifteen years into my walk with God, I began to sense an undeniable pull. I felt the Lord wanted more than just my faith… He wanted everything. I couldn’t shake the feeling that He had an assignment for me. I stepped away from my role at Hershey and took on a new position as CEO, leading the construction of the largest cocoa processing plant outside of Philadelphia. The factory was built and then, shockingly, sold by the Board without my knowledge. What followed was a devastating chapter of betrayal, greed, and injustice, as they even tried to deny my rightful ownership stake.

But even in the heartbreak, I could sense God’s orchestration. I felt Him saying, “I want you.” So I surrendered. Fully. What I thought might be a life in ministry began to shift into something I hadn’t expected: business as a calling.

The story isn’t just about cashews. It’s about faith, surrender, and a calling that turned into a movement.

I prayed for over a year, seeking God’s direction, and what began to form in my spirit was a business model rooted in God’s heart for the poor, the widow, and the orphan. A model built not on maximizing shareholder value, but on sharing. A model of restoration. But this wasn’t without intense opposition. Every time I went out to the woods in my RV to pray about this model, chaos would break loose at home. My wife began to dread those prayer times because of the spiritual warfare that inevitably followed. That intensity continues unabated. Can people relate to this? The scriptures scream of it.

Still, I pressed on, determined to move only under God’s direction. The testing came quickly. Right after surrendering, I was offered a senior VP role at Campbell’s Soup, a high-ranking, high-paying opportunity. Many saw it as a sign from God. But in my heart, I knew otherwise. When asked, “How much money will it take for Don Larson to join us?” I answered, “I want to help people.” That was my step into the Jordan.

As our family prepared to move permanently to Africa, our house hadn’t sold. Days before departure, I declared, “I’m going, no matter what happens to the house.” We had already sold or donated most of our possessions. Within hours, the house went under contract. The buyers even wanted to adopt our dog and buy the remaining furniture. When you move in obedience, God moves mountains.

What began to form in my spirit was a business model rooted in God’s heart for the poor, the widow, and the orphan. A model built not on maximizing shareholder value, but on sharing.

We moved to Mozambique because that’s where God led us, not because it was easy. A Portuguese-speaking nation consistently ranked among the poorest and most difficult places to succeed. And yet, that was the assignment. We’ve now lived here full-time for 14 years, with no plans to leave.

The resistance has been intense. Just 18 months after arriving in 2011, we experienced a brutal home invasion. Armed men with AK-47s stormed our house. They counted my life down to zero as I fumbled to find car keys to the two cars they would eventually steal. By God’s grace, my life was spared after they reached zero. Days later, while driving alone, I asked God, “Why?” And in His quiet voice, I sensed Him say: “You didn’t think once of quitting. You’re more galvanized than ever. I am so proud of you.”

That’s the abundant life. It’s not comfort or ease, it’s walking so closely with the Lord that His affirmation carries you through the fire. Often His voice comes through others… godly people who feel compelled to speak into my life, often saying things they didn’t even know I needed to hear.

So, what is this model that has been forged in prayer and opposed by warfare? It’s called the Sunshine Approach, a business model designed to restore dignity and rebuild communities. It’s simple, but powerful. It’s patterned after my two mentors: Jesus Christ and Milton Hershey.

The Sunshine Approach is a business model designed to restore dignity and rebuild communities… And it’s not just a business model—it is a battle strategy against broken systems.

Jesus showed us a vision of society after Pentecost in the Book of Acts, one marked by generosity, shared resources, and care for the vulnerable. Milton Hershey modeled this in business. He took care of his employees and his partner farming communities. Unable to have children of their own, Milton and his wife opened an orphanage for boys in 1909. After her passing, he devoted his life to that orphanage. At the end of his life, he gave his fortune and his company to it. Today, that orphanage holds controlling interest in an $8 billion chocolate company. My wife’s father was one of Milton Hershey’s orphans, graduating in 1955 into a better life. When God designs your path, nothing is wasted.

The Sunshine Approach is built on three pillars:

1. Transformational Employment – We hire the overlooked: widows, orphans, and the chronically unemployed. We give them jobs, training, and a new sense of purpose.

2. Local Agricultural Uplift – We partner with smallholder farmers, helping them transition from subsistence to surplus, often by distributing free cashew trees and building community-based factories.  We grew and helped plant over 200,000 cashew trees in the last 3 years.

3. Reinvestment into Communities – We reinvest profits directly into our people, not into shareholders, by building orphan homes, supporting village development, and funding long-term transformation.

Mozambique is polluted with things that God finds detestable… These are not abstract problems; they are daily realities that destroy lives, distort justice, and entrench poverty. But this is exactly why we are here.

In 2021, we were asked to bring our community development agricultural model (the Sunshine Villages Project) to Palma by both TotalEnergies and the Mozambican government. Over the previous few years, Islamic insurgents had unleashed a wave of violence across northern Mozambique, killing thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands of people as refugees. Entire communities were devastated, many villagers in Palma had been beheaded in the attacks months before. Where others fled, we stepped in to bring peace through prosperity. Today, we are the largest employer in Palma outside of the gas project, operating a factory right in the heart of the region. It was extremely dangerous. In early 2022, I met with village leaders under military escort, often in places few dared to go. But fear not… God desires to permanently deliver people from poverty. And we are here to be His hands and feet.

Mozambique is polluted with things that God finds detestable. With our three pillars, we are constantly face-to-face with corruption, exploitation, and trafficking. These are not abstract problems; they are daily realities that destroy lives, distort justice, and entrench poverty. But this is exactly why we are here. We were not called to build in ease but to stand in opposition to darkness. Every circumstance we face, whether it’s bribes demanded at customs, unjust treatment by authorities, or attempts to manipulate and misuse our mission, we meet with honesty, integrity, and ethics. That is our warfare. That is our stand. The Sunshine Approach is not just a business model—it is a battle strategy against broken systems. We believe righteousness must govern every transaction, every hiring decision, every village initiative. When you walk in light in a place long covered in darkness, resistance is inevitable. But so is transformation.

Cecilia’s Story

Cecilia hugging younger girl Carla

Let me tell you about Cecilia. We met her in 2014, when she was just 12 years old, living on the streets with her two younger siblings. Orphaned, vulnerable, and surviving day to day, she had every reason to believe life would never change. But Cecilia had a spark and when we asked what she wanted to be someday, she looked us in the eye and said, “I want to be a lawyer to help those who cannot help themselves.”

That same year, we launched the very first Sunshine House, a family-based orphan home modeled after the vision of Milton Hershey. It was built with her story in mind. Cecilia became one of the first children to enter the Sunshine House, and over the years we’ve watched her grow into a young woman of character and strength. In 2025, she will graduate from university with a law degree after defending her thesis.  She is interning now with a legal firm and will then step into a professional role in the legal department of our distributor. This is what the Sunshine Approach was always meant to do, not just rescue but restore. Not just meet needs but fulfill destinies.  She is our role model for the dozens of other children now in our many Sunshine Homes.


When we shipped our factory to Mozambique in late 2012, literally packed inside a container, the ship was hit by Hurricane Sandy while still at the docks in New Jersey. We thought we had lost it. That’s where our story began.  We encounter these types of situations continually as a matter of doing the Lord’s business. These are not coincidences. This is warfare. And we’ve learned to expect it.

But do you notice the pattern? Fear, chaos, resistance…they always appear when we’re about to take ground for the Kingdom. Fear not. This is biblical. Scripture tells us that trials will come and that they are often signs that we are on the right path. We are not victims of this warfare. We are refined by it. If you truly want to usher in the Kingdom of God, you must be willing to endure the fire.

And in that fire, you find purpose. You find legacy. You find joy. You find the abundant life.

 

Read more of Don’s story previously published on The BAM Review.

Read a case study on the Sunshine Nut Company at the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation.

Watch Don’s TEDx talk.

Visit Sunshine Nuts website

 

Don Larson is a former Vice President at The Hershey Company and the Founder and CEO of the Sunshine Nut Company. The Sunshine Nut Company is a social enterprise based in Mozambique that produces and sells cashews and is working to revive Mozambique’s economy and reverse the trend in broken families.

 

Read more on BAM and Agriculture on The BAM Review Blog.

 

Photos courtesy of the Sunshine Nut Company

 

Agribusiness: The Frontline of Business as Mission

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by Mark Ingram and the BAM Global Agribusiness Project Team

Mark Ingram, Andrew Jones, Glen Cox, Ratnakar Vallabhaneni 

 

Last chance to give input: Fill out the short survey by end of 1st July 2025

 

If we truly desire to reach the unreached and serve the world’s poorest, agribusiness must be central to our mission strategy.

According to the World Bank, 75% of the world’s extreme poor—those living on less than $2.15 per day—live in rural communities. And according to missions research, over 80% of the world’s unreached people groups are also found in remote, rural regions, far from city centers and the reach of traditional mission approaches.

These are not just statistics. They are a directional call. If we want to be where the Gospel is not yet known and where poverty is deepest, we must be present in rural economies. And there is no better way to do that—sustainably, relationally, and redemptively—than through agribusiness.

Agribusiness is Business as Mission

Agribusiness is more than farming. It encompasses the entire value chain—from seed to soil, to storage, to processing, to sales. In rural areas, agriculture is often the primary economic engine. And when communities lack employment, market access, or food security, faith-driven agribusiness can be a powerful means of transformation.

We’ve seen it firsthand: businesses that employ the poor, disciple team members, lift household incomes, stabilize communities, and open doors for the Gospel. In some cases, they are the only Christian presence for hundreds of kilometers. Agribusiness, done well, provides a long-term, incarnational presence that models integrity, innovation, and love.

A Listening Process is Underway

Earlier this year, BAM Global launched a Listening Survey to hear directly from those engaged in or passionate about agribusiness as mission—from farmers to funders, from ministries to market specialists. Already, a rich picture is emerging.

We’ve heard from entrepreneurs in Mali and India, processors in North Africa, researchers in Latin America, and ministry leaders across Asia-Pacific. Their feedback has revealed both challenges—such as market access, input quality, or post-harvest loss—and deep encouragement, as communities are being transformed through small farms, co-ops, and kitchen gardens aligned with Gospel witness.

But this is just the beginning. The survey remains open, and we invite more voices from every region, experience level, and role across the BAM ecosystem.

Now is the time to contribute.

It’s not too late. We want your voice in shaping the future of this movement: Have your say by end of 1st July 2025.

What Comes Next: Working Groups and Toolkits

As survey responses are compiled, our next phase will launch Listening Working Groups—small, focused cohorts that will explore critical themes like:

  • Access to markets and infrastructure
  • Models of spiritually integrated agribusiness
  • Faith-driven investment in agriculture
  • Mentorship and peer-learning needs
  • Region-specific strategies

From these working groups, we aim to develop a practical BAM Agribusiness Toolkit, provide case studies and stories from the field, and form a global peer network of agribusiness professionals and ministries. This will help practitioners move from vision to viable, scalable ventures—while staying true to Kingdom purposes.

We’ve already seen strong enthusiasm: over 90% of early respondents say they are interested in joining a network, contributing case studies, or offering mentorship.

The need is clear. So is the opportunity.

Why Now?

Global trends are converging in ways that make this work urgent:

  • Climate change is affecting crop reliability and food systems.
  • Supply chains are under stress and volatile.
  • Foreign aid is shrinking, while local economies are demanding new enterprise.
  • Many mission agencies are seeking new, sustainable operating models.

In this landscape, BAM agribusiness offers a path forward. It is:

  • Rooted in local realities
  • Scalable, when paired with appropriate support and access to markets
  • Incarnational, providing daily witness to the Gospel through relationships
  • Sustainable, in that it generates its own revenue and impact

As one survey respondent put it:

“Agriculture works. If you put seed in the ground, it grows. That’s true of food. It’s also true of faith.”

Join the Movement

This is not just a conversation for those in agriculture. If you’re a pastor who wants to support rural evangelism, an investor seeking redemptive impact, a technologist, agronomist, business coach, or prayer partner—you’re needed.

Help us build a global, diverse, and Spirit-led response to the call of the Great Commission through agribusiness.

👉 Find out more here

👉 Fill out the short survey by end of 1st July 2025

👉 Register your interest in the upcoming working groups at ag@bamglobal.org

 

🌱 Let’s grow this movement together—from the ground up

Together, let’s sow seeds that yield eternal fruit.

 

 

 Mark Ingram is the Founder and CEO of LINC Strategies. LINC Strategies is a collective of poverty alleviation specialists dedicated to crafting innovative and sustainable business solutions. Mark has over 25 years’ experience in the development of high impact inclusive business ventures. His experience includes founding the award-winning non-profit Business for Development, where he built inclusive agribusiness projects across Africa, Asia and the Pacific; Chief Impact Officer of Brightlight Group, developing impact strategy for social impact investment funds across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific; Trade Commissioner & Consul General for the New Zealand Government, establishing the Melbourne Consulate, catalyzing trans-Tasman agrotechnology and biotechnology alliances and trade. With this knowledge and experience, he has consulted to over 100 clients including ASX-200 listed companies, the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program, the World Economic Forum, Australian and New Zealand Governments, international non-government organizations, and large Foundations across the world.



Photo by Boudewijn Huysmans on Unsplash

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How Agriculture Ends Poverty: 
3 Discoveries About What Works

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by Roxanne Addink DeGraaf

Growing up in Iowa, the agricultural heartland of the United States, I was surrounded by farms. I remember childhood summers milking cows and “walking beans” (walking between rows of soybeans to pick weeds) on my grandparent’s farm. I saw how the farm put food on the table, as I always enjoyed a cold glass of milk from the dairy after chores.

After college, I began to understand agriculture from the perspective of small-scale farmers in Kenya. I worked for two years alongside women who spent long days in their fields to not only put food on the table, but also to earn an income for their families. Everything from buying school uniforms to medical services relied on their farm’s output.

And this is not unique to Kenya. Traveling the globe with Partners Worldwide, I’ve continued to witness the centrality of agriculture in many countries and communities where we work, from subsistence farmers to thriving cooperatives.

Agriculture: A Primary Occupation of the Poor

While employment in agriculture is declining overall, agriculture is still the primary occupation for one in three people in the world (FAO). For people living in poverty, 70% live in rural areas and the majority are involved in agriculture (World Bank/Gates Foundation).

At Partners Worldwide, these facts are shaping how we work towards our vision to end poverty through business so that all may have abundant life.

We recently launched a pilot initiative focused on supporting and leveraging the resources of our partners in Africa who were already serving the agricultural sector. This pilot has been our learning lab. We’ve had some failed experiments, while other interventions have led to powerfully positive outcomes. Overall, the results affirm the vital role that agriculture plays in ending poverty.  Read more

Cashews with a Social Mission: From Hershey Exec to Sunshine Nuts

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From Forbes Magazine

Do you have to be a little nuts to give up all the trappings of corporate success, move your family to Mozambique to start a cashew company and pledge to give away 90% of your profits to help orphans and farmers?

More than a few people suggested as much to Don Larson, a former Hershey Company exec who  sold his Porshe, his hot air balloon and his house with a swimming pool to buy a small factory in Matola, Mozambique to launch his social enterprise.

Larson’s Sunshine Nut Company, sells roasted cashews,  grown by small farmers in Mozambique and produced entirely in-country.  The company, which turned its first profit 18 months ago, sold about $2 million worth of cashews last year, and  Larson is projecting $3 million to $5 million in revenue this year.  The nuts can now be found in  some 2,000 U.S. stores,  including Whole Foods and Wegman’s.

More than 30 years ago, Mozambique led the world in cashew production. But, following independence in 1975, 16  years of civil war and bad banking policies decimated the industry. Now, Larson is trying to bring it back – this time, by empowering local communities, paying farmers fairly for their product and creating   jobs with upward mobility for the country’s orphans and abandoned children in Sunshine’s factories. The company is devoting 30% of its net proceeds to support agricultural development and 30% to care for orphans and vulnerable children; another 30% will be directed to expanding to other developing regions, and, eventually, to other crops.

Most social entrepreneurs like to stress their founding story, the goals they hope to accomplish, the motivations that drive everything they do. The product itself? Sometimes, it’s just good enough, but nothing special. The really savvy social entrepreneurs have learned that a sincere mission and a superior product must go hand-in-hand.  Read more

Poultry Farmer to BAM Mentor: Interview with an Agriculture Veteran

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Dan Wiebe grew up in a farming family and started his own poultry business in 1970. With decades of experience behind him, he has more recently connected with the business as mission community and become a mentor to others. We asked him to share a little about his story and some of his advice for those doing BAM in the agriculture sector.

Dan, could you share a bit about your own experience in the agriculture sector, about your own background and how your family business grew?

I grew up in a family agri-business as the youngest of 7 children. My father, a second generation Canadian, had taken Teachers Training in the 1920s and by 1940 retired from teaching to manage his farm in the prairies of Manitoba, Canada. In 1949 he moved our family to western Canada to begin intensive farming with poultry.

By 1970 I was ready to begin my own poultry operation with one chicken house and 10,000 chickens. This was a time when poultry became the consumer’s more popular choice over beef.  Not only was the market expanding rapidly because chicken was a healthy alternative to red meat, but the cost of producing chicken dropped significantly as scientific improvements were introduced in nutrition and selective breeding to bring chickens to market much faster. The use of hormones in chicken production has never been legal in North America so chicken is still the safest and healthiest meat available to consumers.

I grew up observing in our own family business ways to involve all segments of a farming enterprise with the support industry in order to produce a better quality and more efficient end product. I used these lessons to integrate my own farming operation into the only fully vertically integrated chicken farm in Canada, from farm to plate.  Read more

7 Practitioners Give Start Up Advice for BAM in the Agriculture Industry

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In the first half of 2017, we are looking at BAM companies in different industries. We are currently focused on business as mission in the agriculture industry, sharing insights and stories from experienced company owners.

We asked BAMers involved in agriculture:

What advice would you give to someone starting out BAM and wanting to run an agriculture business?

The best advice is always to start small. It is easy to scale up as you gain understanding.  The greatest cause of failure in the industry is getting bigger than you can handle and overextended financially. All of this can be avoided by being realistic in your expectations from the beginning. It is always better to do a small thing well and scale up as time, energy and finances allow. We must remember that agriculture involves a great deal of waiting and trusting God to bring the growth. It often involves much experimentation to get the right things growing in the right place at the right time. Don’t ever trust that there is a “one style fits all” approach. Every place and every situation will bring its own challenges and its own victories. Remember, our God is a God of abundance and if we do things in His way, He will provide the increase. It is important to get a team involved and a good business plan in place. Even on a small scale, we must concentrate on the business side of things. If we don’t, we may end up with a big pile of cucumbers rotting in the yard. – Carl, Caribbean & Asia  Read more

What are the Advantages of Doing BAM in the Agriculture Industry?

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In the first half of 2017, we are looking at BAM companies in different industries. We continue with business as mission in the agriculture industry, sharing insights and stories from experienced company owners.

We asked BAMers involved in agriculture:

What are the advantages of being in the agriculture industry when it comes to doing BAM?

I see three advantages of being in the agricultural industry when it comes to doing BAM. First of all, everybody in the world needs food to eat. Food comes from agriculture. So if somebody has know-how in food production and food preservation it is the best industry for business. Second, it is easy to start in the agricultural industry. In every location there is already existing agricultural activity. No or only few imports are needed. Finally, it is easy to connect to people on the level of food because everybody relates to it. – Decent, Malawi

I think there is a big advantage in that with agriculture most of the grassroots people in your area can relate to you. They can see what you are doing and how it can have direct benefits to them. They can also get involved by utilizing your products on their farm, or learning and implementing what you are introducing, if it is new technology or improved methods. This can impact a huge number of people right there where you are. The people receiving those benefits are those who are working hard to legitimately provide a life and future for their families. If you impact them, and help them, you provide hope. Just like the hope and dignity you give to your employees, this can be multiplied out to the recipients of your product or technology, allowing them to better provide for their families. – Ben, Central Asia  Read more