No universal cure-all for African agriculture Despite the success of these three organisations, there are no universal solutions for linking smallholders to markets. A number of factors are critical to ensure that the goals of growth and development are both being met. Firstly, smallholders are incredibly diverse, with many still unprepared or otherwise unable to participate in markets effectively. Safety nets must remain in place for those who cannot be reached or who try but fail in their efforts. Secondly, when scaling up successful agricultural programmes such as the ones discussed above, it is vital to recognise that agroecological zones and socio-economic conditions can vary dramatically throughout Africa, and solutions must be adapted to local circumstances if they are to succeed. Thirdly, there is a danger that some commodity value chains will be developed while others, particularly those commodities grown and consumed by poor people, will be neglected. High-value cash crops such as cocoa and coffee often see higher returns on investment than staple crops and therefore require less public stimulus. Staple crop development alongside the development of export markets should be actively supported – at least, initially – to address access issues and to boost production and productivity. borrowed from the report
Posted on: Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:34:30 +0000