ADM expands Kenya partnership to reach 17,500 smallholder farmers

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ADM has expanded its partnership with Concern Worldwide US to support 17,500 smallholder farmers in Kenya through the latest phase of its Lifesaving Education and Assistance to Farmers (LEAF) programme.

Now in its seventh year, the ADM Cares-supported initiative is working with farmers in Tana River County to improve agricultural productivity, climate resilience and access to commercial markets. The programme is expected to indirectly benefit more than 100,000 people.

The partnership between ADM and Concern began in 2019, with LEAF combining technical training, access to agricultural inputs and market connections to help smallholder farmers develop more sustainable and independent businesses.

According to ADM, farmers participating in the programme have collectively produced more than 2,000 tonnes of crops to date. They have also demonstrated greater resilience than the county average to droughts, flooding and pest outbreaks.

The programme has also contributed to improvements in community nutrition, with malnutrition rates in LEAF-supported communities falling to 7.3%, compared with a county average of 11.5%.

The latest phase, LEAF IV, aims to improve both the quantity and quality of crop production while strengthening connections between farmers and commercial and export markets.

Since January 2026, the programme has added 2,000 farmers and provided training covering climate-smart agriculture, soil and water conservation, pest management and value chain development.

More than 1,000 farmers have received certified seeds to support crop diversification, while irrigation equipment has been supplied to more than 450 farmers across approximately 330 acres of farmland.

LEAF IV is also supporting agricultural diversification and additional sources of income.

The programme has established or strengthened 18 fruit tree nurseries, promoting agroforestry alongside crop production. It has also introduced beekeeping through 14 apiaries, providing farmers with an additional income stream through direct sales.

More than 50 agricultural extension officers have received training as part of efforts to strengthen local farming support networks and provide farmers with ongoing technical assistance.

Erdal Kurban, president, Africa & Middle East at ADM, said: “Farmers are at the heart of everything we do at ADM, and resilient farming communities are essential to resilient food systems."

He added that the partnership was helping farmers who had previously relied on programme support to establish and operate agricultural businesses independently.

Alongside its agricultural activities, LEAF IV is addressing food and nutrition security within participating communities.

Since January, community health promoters supported by the programme have screened more than 5,100 children for malnutrition and provided families with nutrition education and health guidance across the three project areas in Tana River County.

Katie Waller, director of strategic partnerships at Concern Worldwide US, said: “With ADM’s sustained support, we are helping farmers access the knowledge, resources and opportunities they need to improve productivity, strengthen resilience and create lasting change."

ADM said LEAF IV is intended to demonstrate a sustainable, private-sector-led approach to agricultural development, with the long-term objective of enabling more farmers to operate self-sufficient businesses while strengthening local food systems.