Khady Sow is a myAgro farmer from Kolda, Senegal. She joined myAgro 3 years ago when she was looking for a way to support her family of 19.
“I am a widowed mother of 7 and grandmother of many—19 people to support, who all depend on me. As the head of my household, what I get is not just for me, it’s for the household. When myAgro came to us and introduced their quality inputs, I joined right away. “
Before joining myAgro, Khady’s cash flow was inconsistent, making it difficult for her to invest and save for the future. myAgro’s layaway model gave her a way to invest her own money little-by-little in her farm as a way to earn consistent income. In this way, she is able to purchase myAgro’s inputs, including climate-resilient seeds, fertilizer, and agricultural training.
“I don’t get a paycheck at the end of the month, and neither does anyone in the house, so the payment system has really helped us. It has given us access to quality inputs without the need for a loan—it’s like a savings account.”
In her first year with myAgro, Khady harvested 600 kg of rice and each season’s rice harvest lasted her almost the entire year. However, even with the strong harvest she has grown with myAgro, the massive flooding her region has experienced has put this season’s harvest at risk. Khady sent us this photo of her flooded field in October 2022:
“My field was looking beautiful. The myAgro seeds are good but because of the heavy rains and the flood, most of the field was ruined because it overflowed and the water couldn’t go anywhere. We are waiting for the water to go, to see what is left.”
Despite the flooding and destruction, Khady is confident that she will be able to feed her family and continue to save because of the variety of other vegetables and crops she has been able to invest in.
“We also plant corn, gumbo, and bissap. Most of what we grow is for the family but we do sell a little to invest in chickens and put money into the women’s savings group, which I withdraw from to invest in our land and to pay for the children’s school fees.“
Having a variety of crops growing helps Khady remain resilient against the climate shocks she experiences and ensures that she and her family will continue to have access to the income and nutrition they need.
