PRODUCERS DIRECT
Registered charity 1133218 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as CAFEDIRECT PRODUCERS' FOUNDATION
We work with smallholder farmers in Africa and Latin America to develop innovative solutions to the challenges they face. Activities include strengthening the capacity of smallholders to adapt to climate change; enhance on-farm productivity and incomes; strengthen governance and leadership; improve farmer-to-farmer communications and knowledge sharing.
Causes: Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Environment/conservation/heritage · Economic/community Development/employment · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that Producers Direct ended the year with a deficit, resulting in a total fund balance of £133,489, with unrestricted reserves falling to £66,065. This level of free reserves is explicitly noted as being almost £40,000 below the charity's own policy target of six months of essential operational costs. Per the trustees' report, a restructuring programme was implemented in March 2025 to reduce costs and restore reserves to the policy target level by the end of 2026.
Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £66k; policy: six months of essential operational costs)
“The level of free reserves (unrestricted funds, excluding fixed assets) was £50,185, which is almost £40,000 below the reserves policy target level.”
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Sayer Vincent LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
What the charity says about itself (2023)
From its own voluntary annual review / impact report — the charity’s account of its work, distinct from the statutory accounts analysed above.
The report states that 9,182 farmers were reached directly in 2023, with a cumulative total of 1.3 million since 2009.
“9,182 (1.3m since 2009) farmers reached directly”
Farmers selling on the digital marketplace Farm Direct saw an average income increase of 37%.
“37% income increase on average for farmers selling on Farm Direct”
In 2023, over 3,000 farmers sold 1.2 million KGs of produce, generating $664,000 in revenue.
“In 2023, over 3,000 smallholder farmers sold 1.2 million KGs of produce and generated $664,000 in revenue.”
75% of farmers reported increased confidence in their ability to mitigate climate shocks.
“75% of farmers reported increased confidence to mitigate climate shocks”
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Producers Direct (matched by registered charity number).
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)
Cost of raising funds
£86k
Reported reserves equal ~0.6 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (85% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 6.5% of total income — above the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).
- Anthony Wainaina
- ESPERANZA EUSEBIA DIONISIO CASTILLO
- Gregory Mugabe
- Jamie Barbara Anderson Hodge
- Michael Anthony Montalvan Tineo
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: City Of London · Colombia · Kenya · Peru · Tanzania · Uganda
Income and spending
Common questions
Is PRODUCERS DIRECT financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that Producers Direct ended the year with a deficit, resulting in a total fund balance of £133,489, with unrestricted reserves falling to £66,065. This level of free reserves is explicitly noted as being almost £40,000 below the charity's own policy target of six months of essential operational costs. Per the trustees' report, a restructuring programme was implemented in March 2025 to reduce costs and restore reserves to the policy target level by the end of 2026. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Sayer Vincent LLP.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.
Charities like this
Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.