This post by senior fellow Roger Thurow originally appeared on the Outrage and Inspire blog.
We’re excited to announce the launch of a new multi-part film series on Roger Thurow’s The Last Hunger Season. Now through October 16—coinciding with World Food Day 2014—we will be releasing new episodes from the series each week. Part 7 is now available below. See all episodes.
She and her husband Cyrus would begin saving money for their three sons to attend high school.
Rasoa and Cyrus, now seeing their family farm in western Kenya as a family business, strategized about diversifying their crops. Growing a greater variety of vegetables would be good for the nutrition of their boys. And the crop rotation would help revitalize the depleted soil in their field.
Hazy, distant plans for adding another cow or two, and starting a poultry business, and planting more fruit trees became clear and imminent.
And, of course, there would be a new house, with a bedroom just for the boys.
Tripling the size of their maize harvest opened up the possibilities. Relieved of the daily worry of putting enough food on the table, Rasoa was free to think ahead. Greater productivity on her farm—thanks to the access to financing and the ability to purchase better quality seeds and soil nutrients through One Acre Fund—yielded a cornucopia of choices. It liberated her entrepreneurial spirit.
In this video, Rasoa personifies the benefits of investing in Africa’s hard-working family farmers.