Page 57 - 80 YEARS OF VOLUNTEER IMPACT WITH FAO

Agriculture Climate resilience Food security Forestry Emergency Education Animal farming and livestock

Hiroaki Sonoda

FARMING SMARTER:

LINKING FIELDS TO MARKETS

In Zambia, many families rely on agriculture to survive, but changing
weather, pests and rising costs have made it harder to grow enough
food. Around one in five people is undernourished, and over a third of
children under five face chronic nutrition challenges.

When Hiroaki Sonoda came from Japan as a UN Volunteer with FAO, he
wanted to help small-scale farmers improve their crops and find better 53
ways to earn a living. As a Value Chain Development Specialist, Hiroaki
worked on two projects: one focused on improving farming methods,
and another on creating jobs for young people in agriculture.

“I helped plan how farmers could grow food in a way that also made
business sense,” he explained. He gathered useful data, created guides
and marketing materials and explored ways to connect farmers with
buyers.

Working closely with Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture, he trained local
staff, who then passed on skills and advice to farmers in their own
Hiroaki Sonoda (right), UN Volunteer Value Chain Development Specialist communities. Over time, the work reached 16,000 farmers in 27 districts.
in Zambia, conducting a participatory rural appraisal in the SIFAZ project. His work contributed to national efforts to improve food security,
[FAO, 2020] helping people take care of their land, grow more food and build better
lives for their families.