UK farm leaders are donning their running vests to raise funds for Farm Africa, in a bid to help reduce poverty via agricultural projects in sub-Saharan Africa.
The NFU and Farm Africa, a leading international development charity, have united to form Team NFU for this year’s London Marathon, taking place on 23 April.
Minette Batters, the union's president, will be running the marathon along with other senior NFU leaders.
She said the run aimed to raise £10,000 in funds to support "farming colleagues across eastern Africa".
"While we come from different continents, we all face the same food security challenges," Mrs Batters said.
"In times of such global volatility it’s more important than ever that we stand together."
She added: “Just like here in Britain, African farms are often family run businesses.
"If they are allowed to thrive, family farms can provide huge economic and social benefits for their community."
Farm Africa partners with government and the private sector to help effectively reduce poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.
Over half of the world’s extreme poor live in sub-Saharan Africa, of which the majority work in agriculture.
The charity works closely with local communities to help develop businesses and protect the environment in rural areas.
They aim to help develop a resilient rural Africa where both the people and the environment can thrive.
Farm Africa CEO Dan Collison said: “Farmers all over the world face many of the same challenges and it’s fantastic to see the UK farming community uniting to support farmers in other regions.
"The funds raised will enable Farm Africa to equip farmers in eastern Africa with the knowledge and tools they need to build sustainable farming businesses, overcome poverty and build resilience to climate change."
