Small-scale agriculture is key to transforming Mexico’s countryside.
In Mexico, 17 million people living in rural areas face poverty. Most depend on small-scale agriculture for both their food and their livelihoods: of the 4 million producers in Mexico, 68% farm less than 5 hectares and produce nearly 40% of the food we consume.
Poverty also plays an important role in land-use change and deforestation. It’s estimated that Mexico loses around 260,000 hectares of forests every year, and that 94% of this deforestation is due to the expansion of the agricultural frontier.
At Nuup, inspired by successful experiences in Mexico and abroad, we believe that small-scale agriculture can be a source of rural employment and prosperity while preserving the biodiversity of natural spaces and forests.
To achieve this, we rely on the power of collective impact. The challenges we face are complex, and only through systematic collaboration can we make new models of agriculture and trade a reality.
Our work is grounded in four pillars:
Agronomic and regenerative solutions:
We believe producers can generate greater prosperity and regenerate the agroecosystem at the same time. We pilot and validate innovative production models, practices, and tools adapted to the reality of small-scale agriculture.
We achieve this by:
- Identifying knowledge, experiences, and technologies that are appropriate and accessible for producers, as well as scalable and useful for other key stakeholders. In this way, we seek to achieve a significant, measurable impact in the conservation and regeneration of natural resources.
- Running pilot projects to evaluate the compatibility of innovative practices and technologies with more sustainable production systems. We design pilots to be validated and scaled up, ensuring profitability for producers and strengthening a diversified agri-food system with a future.
- Scaling the adoption of validated practices and production systems through outreach, incentives, and partnerships.
Some of the innovative methodologies we use include: regenerative ranching, agroforestry systems, organic production techniques, and innovative technologies for monitoring and optimizing resources.
Fairer, more transparent, and more direct value chains:
We believe in just and transparent trading relationships grounded in dialogue and respect. We promote models of trade that generate opportunity and development for producers, create new competitive sourcing channels for companies, and make healthy, affordable food available to all.
We do this by:
- Researching and developing a deep understanding of how agricultural value chains function and evolve.
- Designing new models of connection and shorter value chains that generate value for all.
- Advising both companies and producer organizations on the assessment, incubation, and scaling of innovative sourcing or commercialization schemes.
- Supporting new alliances between buyers, producer organizations, NGOs, social entrepreneurs, and consumers.
Digital and data tools:
At Nuup, we are convinced that technology can change the rules of the game by bringing information closer to producers in order to strengthen their practices, support their decision-making, and improve their connection with the value chain.
We design technology based on the needs of farmers and their organizations, using research, prototyping, and co-design methods that keep the user’s perspective at the center. To ensure impact and accessibility, we create open or low-cost technology. We also act as providers and managers of information, but the data always belongs to the actors themselves, especially producers. We adhere to the “Principles of Digital Development.”
Our digital solutions include:
- Mobile tools for producers: we provide a range of apps and other tools to respond to the needs of different kinds of production, like strawberries, vegetables, or dairy cattle.
- Data platforms for organizations: we offer digital systems to make producer organizations stronger, more efficient, and more competitive in collection and commercialization, inventory management, certifications, and payments to producers, among other areas.
Blended finance with impact
To achieve the transformation we seek in small-scale agriculture, producers and their organizations need access to affordable financing designed for their needs at every stage of growth. Through partnerships with foundations, financial institutions, investors, and other actors in the sector, we work to build a diversified portfolio of financial products that generate impact. These include non-repayable financial supports (such as bioeconomy projects), loans, and other mechanisms.
Get in touch with us — we’d love to hear from you.
