In the latest State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO 2020) flagship publication by FAO, contract farming is presented as an approach to integrating farmers into modern and global value chains. Contract farming can provide smallholder farmers with improved access to markets though there remains potential inequitable access for contract farming [...]

In developing countries contract farming faces numerous challenges that many times lead to its failure. Innovations that help overcome the difficulties of contracting with a large pool of small farmers in such settings can enhance the viability of such schemes. We use a randomized control trial design combined with high [...]

The workshop brought together 25 representatives of producer organizations from Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Participants highlighted the need for capacity development at country level on contract formation and negotiation  to identify gaps in existing contracts and improve negotiation of future contracts with buyers. FAO and IISD will [...]