Agricultural mechanization hire enterprises, commonly known as hire services, are service businesses that provide human, animal and mechanical-driven power technologies and equipment services. Much has been documented over the decades about such services at the farm level, but little has been documented on the role that hire services can have in supporting the development of other actors, such as for example, small-scale traders and food processors in the wider agri-food value chain. Consequently, the main objectives of the research were to ascertain the challenges confronted by small-scale actors in accessing and using services, attempt to find out how and why some smallscale actors actually did access and use services, and what lessons could be learnt from such findings. The study derived from a research process initially conducted via an in-depth literature review, followed by a series of rapid appraisals conducted in Algeria, Chad, Iran, Kenya, Tanzania, The Gambia, Tunisia and Zambia. This was then followed by another in-depth literature research and review. The outcome of the research found that personal, entrepreneurial, social and brokerage services factors are to be considered alongside the financial/commercial aspects for a better understanding of the how and why of access and use of such services by small-scale actors. Keywords: Agricultural mechanization; hire services; agri-food value chains;