Downton farmer to cycle 75km across Kenya to aid African farming
Baroness Minette Batters starts her challenge today (20th October)
A farmer from Wiltshire begins a 75km cycle across Kenya to help boost the fortunes of East African agriculture today (Sunday 20th October).
Baroness Minette Batters, from Downton, is taking part in the GROW for Good challenge with Farm Africa, alongside 12 other women.
The ride's expected to take five days in total.
They're aiming to raise £75,000 for the charity, which supports small-scale farmers in eastern Africa to grow and sell more, while adapting to climate change and protecting the environment.
Baroness Batters told Greatest Hits Radio that the money will 'transform lives' for farmers across the region.
"This is life changing because it is about equipping them to be able to trade, to be able to farm. That allows them to be more profitable and to invest in and where they're living, clean water education," she said.
During the cycle, Minette will be camping at farms in Kenya run by women, lending a helping hand as part of Farm Africa's regenerative agriculture project.
In the past, Minette has run marathons to raise money for farmers in East Africa, and she'll be drawing on that experience during the cycle.
Asked how she had prepared, Minette said: "I'm a keen runner anyway, so running wise I'm fairly fit and I've run in in four marathons.
"I haven't been cycling that much, so I'm hoping that I'm running and endurance on that level is going to get me through."
She added that she's looking forward to being in a 'stunning' part of the world and visiting the female farmers.
"They're really inspirational," she said told us, adding: "They want the same things we all want, but they just face greater challenges, so I'm really looking forward to meeting them, listening to them and understanding those challenges and sharing the knowledge of how we're farming here ever more sort of sustainably regenerative practises, so I'll be learning from them."
At the end of their journey, the Minette will be part of a round table event with female industry leaders in Kenya’s capital city Nairobi to raise awareness of the need to drive positive change for women in the global food system.
Anissa Msallem, Head of Partnerships for Farm Africa, says, "The GROW for Good Challenge is bringing together women across the global food system around the power of sustainable agriculture to change people’s lives and protect the environment. We are grateful to them for taking on this unique challenge and the impact they will make."
Minette's fundraising page can be found here.