Please contribute to our case studies of successful farmer-to-market linkages. For more information.

A workshop was held in Johannesburg in May 2009 on the subject of Contract Farming in Africa. The report of the workshop can be downloaded.

We have just published a paper entitled Commodity associations: a tool for supply chain development?

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A guide to upgrading rural agricultural retail markets provides practical guidelines for upgrading markets in rural areas and analyses the importance of markets for rural development, income generation, food security, developing rural-market linkages and gender issues.

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Our CD-Rom "Agricultural Marketing Resources" has been updated and republished as "Marketing and Agribusiness Resources". This is specifically designed for use by people who experience slow download times. It contains most FAO publications on marketing and agribusiness published between 1990 and early 2008. To order a copy.

The popular Marketing Extension Guide "A Guide to Marketing Costs and how to calculate them" has been revised and republished. For the first time it is available in pdf format (2.5mb) and hard copies can also be requested.

Two new Occasional Papers have been published in May 2007. Approaches to linking producers to Markets reviews the experiences of NGOs and others with activities to link farmers to buyers. Policies and actions to stimulate private-sector fertilizer marketing in sub-Saharan Africa reviews fertilizer marketing trends on that continent.

FAO collaborated with the Royal Thai Government on the International Symposium on Fresh Produce Supply Chain Management, which was held in Chiang Mai between 6 and 10 December 2006. A selection of the presentations can be downloaded as can the Proceedings.

Quality and safety in the traditional horticultural marketing chains of Asia is a new Occasional Paper that examines what happens within horticultural supply chains to affect quality and safety, and the constraints faced in making improvements. A report of a workshop on this topic, held in Bangkok in November 2005, is also available for downloading.

Linking farmers to markets was the topic of two workshops organized for NGOs and Farmer Associations. The first, for Eastern and Southern Africa, was held in Kampala, the second, for South-East Asia, was held in Bali.

A workshop on the topic of Partnerships between Government and the Private Sector to Overcome Food Shortages in Eastern and Southern Africa was held in South Africa on 23 and 24 March, 2006. The workshop report and copies of the presentations can be downloaded.

Rural-urban marketing linkages. An infrastructure identification and survey guide is a simplified aid to understanding the physical implications of marketing linkages, based on a regional planning approach. It provides a simple planning methodology and framework that focuses on the issue of linking farmers to market outlets for their produce, particularly identifying their marketing infrastructure needs.

Constraints in the domestic supply chains of many countries have prevented them from exploiting the opportunities provided by various trade agreements. Addressing Marketing and Processing Constraints that inhibit Agrifood Exports, informs policy analysts on measures to overcome the constraints that prevent their countries from fully exploiting their export potential. Copies can also be ordered at US$14 from FAO's Publications Section.

A new and updated version of our popular guide on Horticultural Marketing is now available. Farmers are often poorly equipped to identify potential solutions to their marketing problems. This Guide seeks to help extension workers to be better able to advise farmers about market-oriented horticulture.

A new publication "Manual for the preparation and sale of fruits and vegetables," AGS Bulletin No. 151 is now available. It can be downloaded, or ordered from FAO's Publications section.

A new Occasional Paper on the impact of supermarket practices on small farmers in Asia and the way procurement channels have developed can be downloaded. It also considers the impact of supermarket growth on traditional marketing systems.

Associations of market traders can play an important role in promoting marketing chain efficiency. A new publication looks at their roles and potential for further development.

The popular video "Horticultural Marketing - Extension Techniques" is now available in VCD format. It can be used by extension workers and NGO staff on their computers, without having to find a VCR and television. It is available free of charge for requests from developing countries or countries in transition. Request a copy.

Two publications on food marketing in Europe can now be downloaded.

Urban Food Distribution in Europe discusses development of urban food distribution arrangements in Europe during the last fifty years. It analyses the main factors that have either promoted or hindered the modernization of food distribution systems in Europe in the context of rapidly expanding urban markets, increasing incomes and technological developments.

Wholesale markets in the era of supermarkets and hypermarkets – Developments in Central and Eastern Europe briefly discusses how wholesale markets in the region can respond to the rapid growth of supermarkets.

Market Access for Developing Countries of Africa – The Reality This study looks at market access for ADCs to the developed markets of the EU, US and Japan for specific products of interest to African Developing Countries.

Financing agricultural marketing - The Asian experience examines the financing of agricultural traders in Asia. It can be downloaded in pdf or ordered free of charge.

A new guide on Market Research for agroprocessors can now be downloaded or ordered free of charge.

A new guide on Egg Marketing can now be ordered or downloaded.

The FAO-AgriMarket software programme is now available in a version for use with both MS Access 2000 and Access XP. This programme is for the use of market information services to process and analyse market price and other data. It contains no statistical information. Request a copy.

A "Fertilizer Retailing Guide" has been jointly prepared by FAO and the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA). The guide is aimed at all fertilizer retailers, particularly those in Africa, and includes advice on running a fertilizer business, promoting sales, and on storage and handling. Copies can be obtained from IFA

Law and Markets: Improving the legal environment for agricultural marketing can be ordered from FAO or downloaded in pdf format. It provides policy-makers with the tools to evaluate the impact of existing laws on marketing systems and to identify changes required.