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African Agri-Aid (AAA) is a small UK based charity (registered Dec 2014) that aims to set up small vegetable farms within local communities in West Africa. These farms will relieve poverty by providing regular employment for local workers, mainly women.

AAA provides land, essential facilities and financial support to projects until the sale of the produce allows the farms to become self-supporting.

Our First Project - Kontanno Farm, Gambia In 2014, by working directly with our Gambian partners, AAA started up its' first farm in Gunjur, The Gambia, West Africa. The farm is now selling cucumbers, tomatoes and oranges. The entire farm is now cultivated with cucumbers, tomatoes, bitter tomatoes, peppers, onions and melons, orange trees and papaya trees, which are all growing well. It is anticipated that this farm will be self-sustaining by 2018. Kontanno farm will employ about 10-12 women and 2 men workers when it becomes fully operational.

Progress on the site AAA has purchased, cleared and prepared the land for planting, fenced and gated off the area, built a security building, a shelter for children, a store and loos, installed solar panels to provide electricity for pumps and lighting, constructed a well, two water-towers and tanks with silent solar pumps, provided a utilitarian delivery vehicle, employed 3 full time employees, identified 2 more key female employees, built a plant nursery, cultivated the entire farm with cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, onions, oranges, melons and papayas, and built a courtesy drinking tap for passers-by.

When our first farm becomes self-sustaining, we will seek out other appropriate locations and initiate similar projects.

AAA prides itself on being a small transparent charity. We ensure that every penny donated goes to building and sustaining the farms, as all the development work in the UK is unpaid. We raise money through private donations and through individuals getting sponsorship for participation in sporting events, or other fund-raising initiatives and we keep in touch with donors through our progress bulletins. If you would like to become more involved, run a marathon for us, or donate to AAA, then visit our Get Involved page now.