Bayer in Sub-Saharan Africa Cares for Communities
Bayer’s public interest investments show our commitment towards impactful and sustainable local economic development. We extend these actions from supporting smallholder farmers and public health programs, to investing in research and education in science.
Our intention is to contribute to society by making strategic, long-term focused investments towards our communities. We believe that we have a responsibility, not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because it is important for the economic growth of the industry and country. This lies at the foundation of Bayer’s purpose Science for a better life and our vision of Health for all, Hunger for none.
Focus areas of projects are aimed at:
- Food Security
- Access to health programs for vulnerable groups in low-income communities
- Public Health programs
- Small-holder and emerging farmer development and training
- Supporting research in science
- Supporting education in science
At the heart of our corporate social commitment lies our B-BBEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) compliance in South Africa. Our focus is to maximize the impact our resources and support have in diverse communities. The final aim is to launch commercially viable projects that should be able to sustain themselves and become profitable in the future.
Grain South Africa established and manages the Grain SA Farmer Development Program and supported by Bayer. This program is aimed at developing smallholder and emerging farmers through training, mentoring and support with the intention that they become sustainable viable farming enterprises.
Activities are tailored with the intention of transferring knowledge and/or new sets of skills through giving support services to groups. This includes study group meetings and farmer’s days, giving support to individual farmers through one-to-one mentorship. The difference between the harvests of participating farmers and other smallholder or subsistence farmers is significant.
Knowledge transfer and skills development are given through training courses and demonstration trials where farmers can also learn from each other’s experience during these events.
Great strides in improving sustainable farming has been achieved by introducing these farmers to the latest technology to improve yields, lessen labor through intensive farming practices, and using natural resources efficiently.
Rapid knowledge transfer through the Grain SA magazine, Pula Imvula, is an important part of smallholder farmer development.
The impact of the Farmer Development Program
- Household food security
- Community food security
- Income for the smallholder farmer, that can be used towards accessing health care, education and purchasing of agricultural input
- Overall improved quality of life
These programs also include opportunities for farming communities to learn more about the processing of the food they produce. It includes information shared on food nutrition and mastering methods to process maize into products like corn cakes and tortillas.
Buhle Farmer’s Academy is an agricultural training college for small-holder and emerging farmers in Gauteng, South Africa.
Bayer is a founding partner (through legacy Monsanto) of the Buhle Farmer’s Academy by donating the land, on which the campus operates today.
Today, Bayer’s support extends to support Buhle in becoming financially independent of donor funding by providing leadership and business development skills to the management board at Buhle.
In addition, Bayer supports the initiative with grants to help in subsiding the costs of the farmer’s enrolled at Buhle.
Buhle’s model is successful because it creates subsidized learning and practical training infrastructure for small-holder farmers. After completing their training at Buhle, these farmers then go out to their farms and contribute to food security in their communities and support job creation.