How We Work
TFA provides market based services that create value in the local ag ecosystem. Playing the role of connector and catalyst, TFA is integrating and strengthening the local ag ecosystem to benefit our farmer clients. Every challenge we meet with our farmers is commercial in nature and only market-based solutions will sustainably strengthen our clients and TFA’s business lines.
Tractor Services: Serve commercial and non-commercial farmers with mechanized crop production services, with a priority of implementing regenerative ag practices.
Farmer Service Packages on credit: Sell packages including mechanization, inputs and extension advising, implementing regenerative ag practices from seeding to harvest. Offering credit is a catalyst for adopting improved production practices that lead to increased productivity and farmer income.
TFA Farm: Commercial farm operated by TFA that demonstrates the productivity and efficiency of good ag practices including regenerative production processes. It also trains TFA employees and generates income to contribute to TFA Tractor services business sustainability.
TFA Training and Development Services & Consulting: Best practice development and sharing for operations, management, and training. Provide for-fee training development and delivery in support of other organizations.
Korania women’s farmer group (northern Ghana) repaying 100% of their credit in December 2021.
Managing Implementation and Continuous Improvement
Since 2016, TFA’s continuous learning and improvement processes have refined our model. Success in achieving smallholder farmer income growth depends on more than tractor services. Liebig’s law of the minimum, states that yield is dictated by availability of the scarcest resource or limiting factor. Access to improved seeds, fertilizer and crop care chemicals are required. This requires credit for purchasing services and inputs along with timely agronomic advising. Implementing regenerative ag practices at scale requires investment in developing and demonstrating local best practices that earn farmer acceptance. After harvest, providing access to a farm gate market ensures that TFA’s client farmers are empowered and motivated to increase per acre productivity through a fair market for their crops.
Law of the Minimum: Yield is limited by the input in shortest supply
Tractors for Africa’s management processes bring system and structure to tractor operations and farm production. Our documented processes enable management and accountability. Monitoring of key process indicators and gathering customer feedback through M&E activities enables continuous learning and improvement. Documentation of best practices enable replication and scaling to ultimately have an impact on ag production much greater than the local TFA footprint.
