The Need*

Three quarters of the world’s poorest billion people live in rural areas[1,2] and engage in smallholder agriculture[3]

At Rural Returns, we believe the best way to help such people achieve sustainable economic development is through their own efforts - and by linking them with the resources and the markets to make the best of their own resources and abilities.

What we do

We help rural communities achieve higher incomes and invest in sustainable community-led development.

How we do it

We help smallholder farmers identify unique, market-oriented local products and connect them through just, transparent value chains to stable markets paying a fair price.

The poor man's commodity

[1]International Fund for Agricultural Development. (2001). Rural Poverty Report. International Fund for Agricultural Development.

[2]The World Bank Group. (2008). World Development Report. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank Group.

[3]Acumen Fund (2008) http://acumenfund.org/investments/portfolios/agriculture-portfolio/agriculture-issue.html

* All text, original photographs and graphics copyright J.C. Ratwatte Jr. and granted solely to Rural Returns (Gte) Ltd, Sri Lanka.