Building resilient food systems starts locally: Lessons from CARE and Cargill’s PROSPER III partnerships

How PROSPER III supports farmers and communities

With a $15.7 million investment across 11 countries where Cargill operates, Cargill and CARE developed PROSPER III. The initiative was designed to reach nearly 1.6 million people, including more than 900,000 women. It reached more than 7 million people, nearly 4 million of whom were women.

The program was built around four connected principles:

1. Market access helps turn opportunity into income. Higher yields don’t always lead to higher incomes. Farmers can increase production, but without reliable market access, income can remain unpredictable. Through PROSPER III, farmers and entrepreneurs were connected to business training, buyer networks and market opportunities. Cargill technical experts also provided training and business support across value chains, supporting stronger livelihoods while contributing to more reliable agricultural supply chains.
2. Local ownership shapes long-term resilience. Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), farmer groups and local committees gave participants practical ways to save, borrow, invest in businesses, manage household needs and take part in community decision-making. Because these groups are locally led, they can continue serving communities after direct project support ends.
3. Women’s participation strengthens households and communities. PROSPER III intentionally supported women’s access to financial resources, skills training and leadership opportunities. When women have greater ability to earn income, participate in decisions and contribute to local organizations, the effects often extend beyond individuals to families and communities.
4. Measuring impact consistently improves decision-making. PROSPER III used common approaches to track income, food security and women’s economic participation. That helped CARE and Cargill understand what was working, align around results and focus resources where they could have the greatest impact

Lorna Padillos, a 47-year-old farmer from Barangay Lucob, Calape, Bohol, Philippines, in a community nursery where farmers can cultivate coconut seedlings. Photo credit: Zhynnon Mar Mantos (CARE Philippines)

What the results show

The results show how these principles translate into tangible impact for households, local economies and communities:

• More stable incomes and reduced vulnerability. Across PROSPER III communities, farming incomes increased by 62%, contributing to a 7% reduction in households living below the national poverty line.
• Improved food security. More than 47,000 people are no longer experiencing food insecurity, reflecting more stable and diversified access to food.
• Stronger local financial systems. Nearly 2,000 savings groups mobilized more than $7.6 million in savings and distributed close to $4.9 million in loans, fueling local enterprise and economic resilience.
• Greater participation by women. Across regions, women’s self-reported confidence in communication and negotiation skills supporting their participation in businesses, markets, household decisions, and community leadership.

Isabel Cortez, a tomato farmer in San Juan Ostuncalco, Guatemala. Photo credit: CARE Guatemala

What this means for resilient food systems

The pressures facing food systems are unlikely to ease anytime soon. Climate volatility, economic uncertainty and growing global demand will continue to test farming communities and supply chains around the world.

PROSPER III offers a practical lesson for the future of food systems: resilience takes more than short-term interventions. It requires partnerships that designed from the start to strengthen the local systems farmers and communities already rely on – from savings groups and producer organizations to market relationships and public institutions. For CARE and Cargill, that means designing programs with the long term in mind from the start.  For Akua Laadi, the impact has been practical and deeply personal:

“Before, I waited for bread from another town. Now I bake my own and earn money every week. I can feed my children, pay their school fees and I am even training two young women to bake. Baking has truly changed my life.”

Originally published on Cargill’s LinkedIn.