The Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) is a regional umbrella network of smallholder family farmers of Eastern Africa founded in 2001. Its membership is voluntary and currently comprises 22 members, including women’s organizations, commodity associations, cooperatives and advocacy-based organizations that are apex in nature. It is present in 10 countries – Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kivu region), Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Membership represents over 20 million active farmers.

EAFF’s strategic plan has eight pillars:

1)    lobbying and advocacy;

2)    capacity-building;

3)    information and communication;

4)    partnerships and alliances;

5)    sustainability;

6)    membership;

7)    relations between EAFF and membership; and

8)    cross-cutting issues on the environment, gender and HIV/AIDS.

The role of EAFF is to promote the interests of farmers on issues touching on markets, productivity, capacity, information and regional integration as well as to voice farmers’ legitimate concerns about and interests in socio-economic development through strengthening of individual country platforms, developing positions on regional issues, advocating on behalf of member organizations and enhancing regional cohesiveness. To this end, EAFF has signed memoranda of understanding with: (i) Regional economic communities: East African Community (EAC) (where they also have observer status) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); (ii) Regional private sector organizations: East Africa Business Council (EABC); (iii) Boards of regional research organizations: Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA).

EAFF also holds a seat on FAO’s Committee on World Food Security, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa partnership committee and the African Development Bank board of governors.

The table below shows EAFF's membership at the national level. The 14 national organisations directly covered by the SFOAP are highlighted in orange.