Smallholder farmers are central to food systems transformation, but higher agricultural production does not automatically translate into improved incomes or better nutrition. A civil society review of projects funded by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) examines how locally led approaches can strengthen smallholder livelihoods, climate resilience and food security, while identifying the institutional and market constraints that limit their impact.

Conducted between November 2025 and March 2026, the review covers seven countries: Burundi, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lao PDR, Liberia and Tanzania. Led by ActionAid International, the Civil Society Partnership for GAFSP brought together the Eastern and Southern Africa Small-Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF), the Asian Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (AsiaDHRRA) and the Coordination pour des Actions en Santé et en Développement d’Haïti (COSADH). Using feminist, participatory and people-centred methods, the review engaged 65 key informants and 626 farmers, 52 percent of whom were women, through interviews, focus group discussions and field observations.

Findings highlight the value of farmer-led organizations, locally managed seed systems, agroecological practices, inclusive extension services and community savings groups. Home gardens and diversified production can improve dietary diversity, while collective marketing and processing infrastructure help farmers obtain better prices. However, weak market linkages, delayed inputs, inadequate infrastructure and uneven institutional coordination continue to constrain results. The report recommends sustained investment in producer organizations, agroecology, gender-transformative approaches, youth inclusion and nutrition-sensitive programming, with market access integrated into project design from the outset. Its conclusions offer practical lessons for strengthening the design and implementation of inclusive, resilient food systems investments.