Liechtenstein joins SSNUP programme for smallholder farmers

Liechtenstein joins SSNUP programme for smallholder farmers

16 December 2021

The Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) will support the Smallholder Safety Net Upscaling Programme (SSNUP) with € 900,000 over a three-year period from 2021 until 2023. Liechtenstein will co-fund the first phase of the SSNUP programme, which has now reached 88% of its budget of € 18 million, together with the Luxembourgish and Swiss development organisations and contributions from the private sector. 

SSNUP aims at increasing the productivity and resilience of smallholder farmers in Africa, Latin America and Asia thanks to improved risk management and the promotion of sustainable, climate-smart farming practices. As a result, this programme will not only improve the food security and living standards of up to 10 million smallholder farmers’ households, but it will also contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural value chains.   

The ten-year programme leverages the knowledge and expertise of multiple technical assistance facilities of impact investment funds to reach as many smallholder farmers with as little bureaucracy as possible.  

Since its launch in October 2020, the programme has approved 14 projects in support of 30 agricultural value chain actors across 15 countries with a total budget of over € 3.4 million, of which SSNUP is contributing around € 1.3 million.   

These diverse projects include: 

  • developing digital platforms to share information and link coffee producers in Peru  
  • strengthening the internal management of a financial institution to attract additional international investors in China  
  • developing index insurance in West Africa  
  • strengthening the African cashew nut value chain by helping a processing plant in Burkina Faso to obtain a fair trade certification in full compliance with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. 

While SSNUP is supported by the governments of Luxembourg, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, ADA coordinates the programme and ensures knowledge sharing and the dissemination of best practices amongst the participating investors and their partners for the benefit of the agricultural sector as a whole.