The Words of Heifer International's Former CEO and President, the Late Pierre Ferrari, Live on in His New Book

Heifer International is pleased to announce the publication of Breaking the Global Poverty Trap, authored by our former President and CEO, the late Pierre Ferrari. The thought-provoking book shares insights from his time at Heifer, spanning from 2010 to 2022, and a practical approach to global development.

Drawing on decades of experience, Pierre asks a critical question: Why does extreme poverty persist despite billions of dollars in investment? His answer is both honest and forward-looking. Traditional approaches, he argues, often fail to create lasting pathways out of poverty because they stop short of enabling true economic participation.

Pierre offers a bold alternative — a “pro-poor, wealth-creating, value chain” approach. At its core, this model focuses on building social capital, strengthening technical skills, enabling collective action, and ensuring that smallholder farmers and rural entrepreneurs can access higher-value markets. It is an approach rooted not in short-term relief, but in long-term resilience and opportunity.

Through compelling examples from Africa, Asia and Latin America, Breaking the Global Poverty Trap illustrates what many across Heifer have witnessed firsthand: sustainable change happens when communities are empowered to lead. When people have the tools, knowledge and networks they need, they move beyond survival to build thriving, self-sustaining livelihoods.

These principles were not just ideas to Pierre, they were the foundation of Heifer’s transformation under his leadership. Our emphasis on living incomes, inclusive market systems, regenerative agriculture and scaling impact reflects the vision he championed.

We invite our partners, supporters and colleagues to read Breaking the Global Poverty Trap and reflect on the ideas that continue to guide Heifer’s mission.