Market access among smallholder producers remains a great barrier to many individuals in developing world. Many studies have been conducted on factors that influence market participation by this category of farmers yet majority have remained "out" of the formal markets. As an intervention to promote food security in Sub-Sahara Africa, production of indigenous food crops are being promoted due to their ability to cope with harsh climate in the region. However, something remains untapped under the indigenous tuber crops and that is market benefits. SO, THE BIG QUESTION IS: WHAT SHOULD BE DONE FOR FARMERS IN SUCH ENTERPRISES TO PARTICIPATE IN FORMAL MARKETS BEARING IN MIND THAT THESE CROPS ARE REGARDED AS POOR-MAN'S CROPS?
Among the reaserches of FAO the average surface per farm in Far East Countries, plus India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia is only 1 hectar, which gives a production of about 4 tons of paddy rice and the postharvest losses are 15-25%. So there is the possibility to ameliorate the farmers income minimizing these losses, through better drying, storing and insects controls. Same thing for all the other crops .
I have an experienced on doing research chili farming in coastal sandy land area. You can understand that coastal sandy land is a marginal land which slightly similar with the poor area of farming while also has a extreme climate. However, farmer have been persisted on chili farming since 1985 and suprisingly they could harvest chili in good quality and continue. Then, they make an association of chili farmer after they understand that middle-man of chili traders are hold the price of chili that make farmer get a lower revenue. By this association, they could shorten the market chain and got the higher price. System of marketing is collective marketing. They collected chili in the farmer group and farmer group seek the traders to negotiate the price.
http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ass/article/view/36484
linking smallholders to markets through such institutions as cooperatives,growers’ associations and contract farming that reduce marketing and transaction costs and alleviate some production constraints. small farmers can fetch high price of their through developing strong linkage with researchers and market...
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