Equipping smallholder farmers in West Coast to grow food and income

April 2, 2026

Jabang walking through his banana plantation.

In Sintet Kabom, Foni Jarrol District of the West Coast Region, where many families depend on small-scale farming for both food and income, limited access to farming tools and inputs continues to constrain agricultural potential. For farmers like Jabang, this challenge meant that even with the motivation and land to cultivate, turning gardening into a reliable livelihood was difficult.

Jabang had long aspired to develop a productive garden, but financial pressures stood in the way. With most of his income going towards supporting his family’s day-to-day needs, investing in basic farming materials such as fencing, irrigation tools, and equipment was simply out of reach. As a result, his agricultural activities remained small and inconsistent.

This changed when ChildFund, through its local partner Foni Ding Ding Federation, provided him with essential gardening support, including fencing wires, a wheelbarrow, forks, and watering pipes. These inputs addressed not just one constraint, but several, improving land preparation, crop protection, and water management at the same time.

With these resources, Jabang was finally able to expand and diversify his farm. He now cultivates bananas, vegetables, and fruit trees more effectively, significantly increasing both production and reliability.

“This support has helped me grow more fruit trees, bananas, and vegetables, which has changed my life and my family.”

The benefits are visible not only in his fields but also within his household. His family now consumes food directly from the garden, reducing dependency on market purchases and improving food security.

“My wife now comes to the garden to get vegetables for cooking instead of buying them.”

Economically, the transformation has been just as significant. Jabang estimates that his income has increased dramatically by as much as 50 percent allowing him to move from subsistence farming toward a more income-generating model.

“My income has increased from 10 to 50 percent.”

One of his biggest achievements has been a banana plantation he established in May last year, which generated D10,000 by April a milestone he attributes directly to the support received.

Beyond income, Jabang has started reinvesting in his farm. Using his earnings, he dug a well to improve water availability an important step in building resilience against irregular rainfall and reducing dependency on manual water collection.