Jennipher Tibagonzeka

Kilimo Trust

Kilimo Trust (KT) is a non-profit and non-political institution that is one of a few "home-grown" organizations working on agriculture for development at regional level within the East African Community (EAC). KT is governed by a Board of Trustees with eight (8) members with equal vote on all resolutions of the Board. Its work responds to EAC policies and strategies. It has chosen as its core business, the job of supporting the transformation of food and nutrition security in the EAC Region away from high risk subsistence farming into lower risk trade-based systems., so that within 15 years (starting 2012), the following are achieved: a) Specialization in production of staples to: i) effectively utilize comparative advantages; and ii) enable smallholder producers of the key food commodities to "farm as business" and become competitive. b) A structured regional trade in staple foods driven by private sector business linkages for each key food commodity. c) A high proportion of the food commodities (especially perishables) produced in the EAC, being transformed to differentiated value-added products preferred by the final consumer.