Land O’Lakes International Development

International Development
At Land O’Lakes International Development, we uniquely understand how to help farmers and enterprises in low-income nations to transform into profitable, business-minded entities. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization deeply affiliated with one of the largest farmer-owned agricultural cooperatives in the United States, we believe in the extraordinary power of producer groups to serve as a nexus for accessing the inputs, services and markets that can catapult farmers into a position of economic strength. We deeply understand the importance of growing businesses, stimulating market demand, promoting value addition, and helping to strengthen the broader ecosystem that supports product quality, trade and competitiveness. These elements are critical to ensuring that farmers, businesses and local communities fully benefit from our programs.

Our International Development Division sets Land O’Lakes, Inc. apart, as it embodies our commitment to global food security and sustainable agricultural development, leveraging nearly a century of corporate technical expertise. Funded primarily by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), our programs not only improve production and food security for smaller farming operations, but they foster innovation, market linkages, and strengthen the private sector. Ultimately, they make small and growing enterprises in developing countries more attractive for investment.

This focus on sustainability ensures that development assistance made possible by U.S. taxpayers has long-term ripple effects in communities around the world, long after our programs end. Through these efforts, male and female farmers move out of subsistence to build economies of scale in an environmentally friendly way. They also learn how to supply what the private sector demands which allows enterprises to flourish in formerly impoverished areas.

2010-2014 Cumulative Impact Highlights

  •   990,859 rural households supported
  •   1,062,171 individuals directly assisted
  •   203,695 farmers adopted new or improved farming innovations and techniques
  •   57,768 jobs created or strengthened across value chains
  •   662,067 individuals received training to strengthen their agricultural productivity and food security
  •   1,318 organizations applied new and/or innovative technologies or management practices
  •   $79.5 million was leveraged to enhance investments in agriculture and economic growth activities
In 2015, we

> directly assisted 211,719 individuals

> trained 102,617 farmers on improved farm management techniques