FAO Strategies and Actions in Support of Farmers and Farmer Organizations Doyle Baker Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division FAO

Strategies Related to Farmers and Farmer Organizations Current and Planned Work – Examples from Africa Priorities for NGO Services Provision and Capacity Building

Strategies Related to Farmers and Farmer Organizations Current and Planned Work – Examples from Africa Priorities for NGO Services Provision and Capacity Building

Analysis Essential to address to farm commercialization and changing markets in order to increase farm income Old Challenge Loss of services and cash income opportunities following structural adjustment New Opportunities Expanding domestic markets and prospects for regional markets Explicit modernization and public and private cooperation policies Gradual improvements in infrastructure – road, markets, ICT

Strategic Orientation for Support 1. Enhance farmer capacity to be reliable suppliers  Awareness of farming as a business  Beyond first stage commercialization (e.g. contracts & production scheduling)  Building marketing and business skills for farmers  Demonstrations, on-farm tests, FFSs  Farmer business schools and FFS networks

Strategic Orientation for Support 2. Ensure efficient services provision to farmers  Farmer cooperation to overcome diseconomies of scale – collection centres, inputs procurements  Other services –information & communication, finance, inputs supply, traders, transporters  Urge organizations not to duplicate functions better carried out by other partners NGO assistance in setting up links Initiation of business models by the private sector when possible Use of and payment for existing local service providers

Strategic Orientation for Support 3. Help to push value up the chain (particularly for commodities)  Post harvest management practices and agro- processing technologies  Intermediation with business services providers, government & private sector  Development of producer-buyer win-win contracts

Strategic Orientation for Support 4. Drive and upscale change through regional and national organizations and multistakeholder alliances  Represent interests with various stakeholders  Training of trainer programmes for frontline organizations and service providers  Resources mobilization from projects, private sector, financial sector  Strong relations with district & local authorities  Effective linkages among development partners

Strategies Related to Farmers and Farmer Organizations Current and Planned Work – Examples from Africa Priorities for NGO Services Provision and Capacity Building

FO support through value chains development Commercialization capacity building – marketing and value addition Recent Innovative Strategies and Approaches Project Portfolio US$ 42 Million

Zambia and Malawi – Cassava value chains [Italy] Formation of a producer group of processors (entrepreneurs) for bulking of raw material and primary processing of cassava flour Facilitating linkages to financial service providers to provide loans to procure processing equipment Establishment of a guarantee fund Training of primary processors in cassava processing and entrepreneurship skills development FO support through value chains development

Malawi – livelihoods and land management [Norway] Formation of primary and secondary level groups Capacity development of primary and secondary level producer groups for cotton and rice Provision of training and technical support in business management and marketing to managers Technical support and training at secondary level to provide business services to members. Technical support to link farmers to markets FO support through value chains development

Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; DRC starting – Food Security in Cross-Border Districts [Italy] Facilitate group formation and registration Train in leadership, organisational skills, group dynamics Develop finance schemes (e.g. matching grants) Train groups in business planning and management Build farmer capacity in marketing, business, product quality and safety, standards Facilitate linkages to markets and input suppliers Demonstrations to increase productivity FO support through value chains development

Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia; Gambia and Guinea starting - national food security programmes [Italy] FFS and demonstrations to address production constraints Farmer organization capacity for marketing, business management, negotiation Enhance farmers’ capacities for value addition - storage, processing Commercialization capacity building – marketing and value addition

Business models to strengthen producer-buyer linkages [EC] Senegal, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone - rice value chains Zambia, Kenya, Uganda – cotton value chains Cameroon, Malawi – cassava value chains Recent Innovative Strategies and Approaches Even better examples in Caribbean and Pacific

Business models to strengthen producer-buyer linkages [EC] Analysis of the current business model  Buyers, market channels, business strategy, value network, asset structure, etc. Identification of the critical success factors for buyers Preparation of an upgrading strategy and financing plan Facilitation to launch implementation of the upgrading strategy Training to increase capacity of PO in agribusiness skills Recent Innovative Strategies and Approaches

Food systems development – Tanzania [Germany] Farmer and FO technical and business capacity building Business models appraisal and development PPPs for value chain investment Market mechanisms innovation Sector coordination Regulatory and fiscal reform Recent Innovative Strategies and Approaches

Agribusiness Support to Smallholder - Kenya, start 2010 [Germany] Business models – build on existing pilots Technical & management training for farmers & SMAEs Commercial viability of market linkage and business service providers Capacity of KENFAP and affiliated organizations Capacity of Kenyan Agribusiness and Agro-Industries Consortium Capacity of Agribusiness and Inputs Division; Agricultural Sector Co-Ordination Unit Recent Innovative Strategies and Approaches

Public Sector Apex Producer Organizations Agribusiness Organizations National District National District National District Market Linkage Companies Small and Medium Agro- Enterprises Producers & Producer Organizations Local National Institutional Support Business Partners Other Service Providers Other Service Providers

Strategies Related to Farmers and Farmer Organizations Current and Planned Work – Examples from Africa Priorities for NGO Services Provision and Capacity Building

Frontline services to enhance producer supply capacity and strengthen producer- buyer linkages Business development services – business planning, market information, contract negotiation, business linkaging, information on agribusiness trends Supply chain management services – production scheduling, collection and sale sites, grading, certification, handling and quality control, and logistics support

Training to improve farmer skills - quality management, packaging, labeling, food safety, business planning Technology introduction services - drying, storage, seed production, post- harvest operations, grinding, grating, cottage processing and pre-processing Frontline services to enhance producer supply capacity and strengthen producer- buyer linkages

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