Mission

The incredible variety of food on our plates is not to be taken for granted. To keep up with the ever-growing world population in a changing climate, the food sector needs more stable supply chains to provide affordable food for all, today and tomorrow. This challenge is critical:

• By 2050, the global population is projected to exceed 9.6 billion. Global food production will need to increase by 50 per cent to meet this challenge, which will be particularly acute in rapidly expanding urban areas.

• Soil quality and water resources are already depleting and the impact of climate change is further aggravating this development.

• Low prices and poverty are forcing farmers from the land and young people are turning their backs on a future in agriculture.

Rikolto (formerly VECO) believes family farms are a big part of the solution. Together they produce 70% of our food worldwide, but individually they're often cut out of the trade, ending up in poverty and leaving their huge potential untapped. Change on a global scale demands that food markets become more inclusive and offer value to all actors in the food chain. Smallholder farmers must be offered a fair deal.

We empower farmer groups to become solid business partners and implement future-proof, sustainable practices. We support them so that their products meet quality standards. We connect them with innovators in the food industry to explore new ways of doing business.

Rikolto builds bridges of trust and trade, between the food industry, governments, research institutions, banks and farmer organisations around this one central question: ‘What will we eat tomorrow?’. We plant and harvest new solutions, making the food system more transparent, so consumers are able to make a sustainable choice

Rikolto (formerly VECO/Vredeseilanden) is an international NGO with more than 40 years’ experience in partnering with farmer organisations and food chain stakeholders across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Rikolto runs programmes in 15 countries worldwide through eight regional offices. We’re a close-knit network of accessible and knowledgeable colleagues, willing to share experience and eager to inspire others.

Rikolto in Indonesia was started in Flores around 1960 under the name Florescommittee, which was established by a Belgium missionary, Pater Rene Daem. Then in 1973, Pater Rene Daem changed it to “Vereniging Zonder Winstoogmerk” or VZW, which is equivalent to the Foundation.

As the VZW Floresvrienden grew bigger and established a better relationship with international donors, it then transformed into Flemish Organisation for Assistance in Development or known as FADO.

In 2001, three Belgian development organisations: Vredeseilanden, FADO and COOPIBO merged into one organisation under the name Vredeseilanden or known as VECO (VredesEilanden Country Office).

By October 16, 2017, VECO Indonesia officially replaced its name to Rikolto that means Harvest in Esperanto Language.

Over four decades, this organisation has been working on several focused-topics such as Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA), Sustainable Agriculture Chain Development (SACD), Inclusive Business, and Inclusive and Sustainable Food System.