Show Your Support for Farmers: Help Us Fund 500 Farmers in 5 Days

As the leaves change color, the air cools and farmers everywhere begin to gather their harvest, you know autumn has arrived in the U.S. In every culture, harvest season is regarded as a time of bounty and prosperity and is celebrated through holidays and festivals. This week, Kiva is celebrating farmers and all the hard work they do around the world by flash funding 500 farmers in 5 days! Join the effort by making a loan to a farmer.

One of the reasons farmers need our support is that their livelihoods are so unpredictable. Once the seeds are planted, sown and nurtured, farmers hope to see the harvest months as a time of financial stability. However, unpredictable weather patterns, crop failures and disease are just some of the problems that can ruin a harvest. Even a successful harvest can be grueling for the farmers who work hard year round to make it happen. They are facing uncertainties with everything from production to cash flows.

While farmers incomes spike during harvest season, they spend most of the year with little-to-no extra finances. All the while, they need to refurbish their equipment, buy new materials and pay for daily expenses. With 2.5 billion people making their living from agriculture, it is crucial to develop loans that fit the needs of farmers. Studies from the World Bank show that investment in gross domestic product (GDP) growth in agriculture can be at least twice as effective in reducing poverty as growth originating in other sectors. But how do we invest in a sector that has such unpredictable loan repayments and exists in the most rural parts of the world? That’s where Kiva Labs comes in.

Kiva Labs helps develop loans that suit farmers’ needs through centering loan payments around a farmer’s schedule. Kiva Labs also works with partners who provide farmers with access to mobile technology, allowing them to be more knowledgeable about market prices and weather conditions. Through these loans, Kiva hopes to create higher crop yields, expanded access to information and higher repayment rates.

Get a taste of what is fresh and local at different times of the year and across a wide variety of Kiva countries in the chart below: