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approaches to linking producers to markets a review of experiences to date |
| This Occasional Paper examines experiences of linking
farmers to markets, in order to reach some tentative conclusions regarding
success factors. It mainly considers examples of linkages promoted by
outside organizations such as NGOs. Issues discussed include the choice
of markets, the capacity of the linking organizations, and the relationship
between the private sector, NGOs and farmers. Linking farmers to new markets
invariably involves farmers organizing into formal or informal groups.
Experiences with group organization are reviewed, as is the question of
finance. Problems faced by farmers in maintaining linkages are examined
and sustainability and scaling-up of linkage activities considered. A
check-list of issues to address when planning market linkages is provided
as an annex. The paper also considers the enabling environment that governments
must provide if linking farmers to markets is to prove successful.
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