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Search Smallholder farmers may feed the world, but too often, their own plates remain empty. As the stewards of global food supply, they face the daily paradox of growing food they may not be able to afford or access themselves. Research reveals that about 52% of farmers in Africa – Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria are food insecure. These levels of food insecurity ultimately lead to malnutrition, affecting the health and wellbeing of entire farmers, families and communities at large. That’s why the Smallholder Farmer Scorecard was developed by the Workforce Nutrition Alliance, a joint initiative by The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), to help companies self-assess and tailor their workforce nutrition programmes to smallholder farmers – addressing the silent crisis of malnutrition at its roots.
These programmes aren’t just about providing better meals—they’re about dignity, resilience, and recognising farmers not just as suppliers, but as people whose wellbeing powers the entire food system.
The Reality of Smallholder Farmers
Smallholder farmers are known as the heartbeat of the global food system, producing 70–80% of the world’s food. Yet, they face immense challenges. Environmental challenges such as soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity limit food productivity. Socioeconomic pressures, including poverty, debt cycles, labour shortages, and fluctuating market prices, make it harder for them to sustain their work.
Despite their essential role in food production, many smallholder farmers and their families struggle with food and nutrition security. While interventions for smallholder farmers often focus on improving access to inputs, finance, and markets, their own wellbeing is frequently overlooked.
Workforce Nutrition: A Game Changer for Farmers and Supply Chains
Healthier farmers are not just more productive, they are the key to building resilient food systems. With five years left to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular progress on SDG2 (Zero Hunger), there is a need to go beyond traditional agricultural support and empower farmers in ways that improve both their livelihoods and their nutrition – by implementing workforce nutrition programmes.
Organisations that invest in workforce nutrition for smallholders, their families, and communities gain tangible benefits, including:
- Improved Productivity: Well-nourished farmers have more energy, strength, and focus, leading to higher agricultural yield.
- Lower Malnutrition Rates: Healthier farmers spend less on healthcare, reducing costs for both themselves and supporting organizations.
- Higher Retention & Loyalty: Farmers are more likely to stay engaged with organizations that invest in their well-being.
- Reliable Supply Chains: Healthier farmers ensure a steady and consistent supply of high-quality agricultural products.
- Stronger Relationships with Farmers & Communities: Investing in farmer wellbeing fosters trust and long-term relationships.
- Securing the Future of Farming: Many young people are leaving agriculture due to financial instability and tough working conditions. Workforce Nutrition can make farming more attractive, encourage younger generations to stay, and contribute to a resilient food system.
The Workforce Nutrition Scorecard for Smallholder Farmers
WNA has developed a self-assessment tool – a powerful and simple tool specifically designed to help companies evaluate and improve workforce nutrition of their workforces without regular worksite structure or for those farmers without a location to assess their workforce nutrition programmes.
The scorecard for smallholder farmers and their communities, which is to be completed annually in the form of a questionnaire, should be completed by individuals responsible for overseeing, coordinating or planning activities that support smallholder nutrition. If a company operates in more than one geographic region, it is recommended that the scorecard be completed separately for each region, unless the activities are consistent in scope, implementation and planning.
These workers and communities include informal or indirect employees of buyers, traders, other buyers acting on behalf of larger companies, and non-contracted smallholder farmers.
The scorecard enables organisations to
- Assess the current impact of their workforce nutrition programs.
- Identify key gaps and areas for improvement.
- Take actionable steps to enhance nutrition outcomes across their supply chains.
By integrating workforce nutrition into agricultural support programmes, organisations create a win-win scenario—ensuring healthier farmers, more resilient supply chains, and greater economic stability.
Companies can access the self assessments scorecards and guidebooks by visiting the WNA website.
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