Until recently the marketing and storage of the major grain crops in most African countries tended to be in the hands of government agencies. The situation is now changing. Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa are gradually moving to a system where private traders buy crops from farmers, transport those crops to the cities and sell them to processors, millers and consumers. These changes mean that extension workers will have to develop new skills. They will have to be in a position to advise farmers on what crops to grow, on how and where to sell their crops and on how to store their crops. They will need to be able to answer farmers' questions about prices, about whether to store their crops or sell immediately and about where to buy and how to pay for inputs such as fertilizer and seed. A new publication, A Guide to Maize Marketing for Extension Officers, by Andrew W. Shepherd was developed with the liberalised or liberalising marketing systems of Eastern and Southern Africa in mind. However, many of the points it makes are likely to be just as valuable to extension workers in other parts of Africa or, indeed, outside Africa. It provides extension workers with basic information on private-sector grain marketing systems and on crop drying and storage. Emphasis is on maize, but other crops are briefly considered.

Copies can be ordered by contacting FAO's Marketing Group