Empowering Farmers: Kilimo Minnesota, founded in 2020 , supports African immigrant farmers in Minnesota through mentorship, farmland access, and cooperative development. What began as an incubator has grown into a movement—organizing 50+ farmers into cooperatives that share resources, knowledge, and markets to build a sustainable local food system.
Our Mission: Kilimo Minnesota is an organic cooperative farm incubator and training hub dedicated to creating opportunity and equity in agriculture. Through a 3–5 year hands-on program, farmers gain experience in organic vegetable production, business management, and community leadership—while learning to navigate a new climate, culture, and food economy. We are cultivating more than crops—we’re cultivating connection, resilience, and cooperative power.
From Incubation to Cooperation: Our farmers began in community gardens and at shared faming sites, where they learned to grow for local markets. Today, they are forming cooperatives across Minnesota—sharing equipment, land, and markets to build long-term food security for their communities. Each cooperative reflects the vision of collective success: stronger markets, shared risk, and a voice in shaping Minnesota’s agricultural future.
See Where We’re Growing: Visit our interactive map of farmers and cooperatives across Minnesota, and learn about the crops they grow, the communities they serve, and the stories they carry.
Get Involved: Kilimo Minnesota is growing a more equitable food system—one cooperative at a time. Whether you’re a farmer, partner, or supporter, your contribution helps build the foundation for future generations to thrive on the land.