Linking farmers to markets: opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in Malawi
In an effort to improve rural farmer’s livelihood, many initiatives have been initiated in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to link cassava farmers to markets. Several models have been used including use of leading entrepreneurs, targeting farmers’ associations/groups, conducting industrial tests to sensiti...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Conference Paper |
| Language: | Inglés |
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International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
2010
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/90654 |
| _version_ | 1855529874385534976 |
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| author | Mahungu, N.M. Jumbo, S. Sandifolo, V.S. Howard, D. Mhone, A. Nthonyiwa, A. Rusike, Joseph |
| author_browse | Howard, D. Jumbo, S. Mahungu, N.M. Mhone, A. Nthonyiwa, A. Rusike, Joseph Sandifolo, V.S. |
| author_facet | Mahungu, N.M. Jumbo, S. Sandifolo, V.S. Howard, D. Mhone, A. Nthonyiwa, A. Rusike, Joseph |
| author_sort | Mahungu, N.M. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | In an effort to improve rural farmer’s livelihood, many initiatives have been initiated in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to link cassava farmers to markets. Several models have been used including use of leading entrepreneurs, targeting farmers’ associations/groups, conducting industrial tests to sensitize and create new markets, use of out-growers scheme and use of farmer-to –trader linkages. These models have been applied for a range of value chains in the cassava industry including starch, high quality fermented and non fermented flour, chips and raw cassava roots. Cassava offers the biggest opportunities to uplift livelihoods of resource poor farmers as production has increased and markets for both processed and raw cassava have manifested in recent years. The major challenge has been fostering appropriate linkages between farmers and markets and to transform the increased production to usable products. Lessons from work done in Malawi indicate that use of individual lead entrepreneurs and involvement of private sector partners is key to sustainability of the cassava business. The major motivation for sustainability of the business is ownership and profits generated from the enterprise. Industrial testing of products and training of lead entrepreneurs on appropriate processing technologies are key to create awareness and open new markets. Problems associated with low educational levels, group dynamics, lack of ownership and lack of common vision have been found to be the major limiting factors for group or association owned initiatives. |
| format | Conference Paper |
| id | CGSpace90654 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publishDateRange | 2010 |
| publishDateSort | 2010 |
| publisher | International Institute of Tropical Agriculture |
| publisherStr | International Institute of Tropical Agriculture |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace906542023-02-15T06:37:20Z Linking farmers to markets: opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in Malawi Mahungu, N.M. Jumbo, S. Sandifolo, V.S. Howard, D. Mhone, A. Nthonyiwa, A. Rusike, Joseph farmers markets agribusiness cassava food security malawi livelihoods sub-saharan africa In an effort to improve rural farmer’s livelihood, many initiatives have been initiated in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to link cassava farmers to markets. Several models have been used including use of leading entrepreneurs, targeting farmers’ associations/groups, conducting industrial tests to sensitize and create new markets, use of out-growers scheme and use of farmer-to –trader linkages. These models have been applied for a range of value chains in the cassava industry including starch, high quality fermented and non fermented flour, chips and raw cassava roots. Cassava offers the biggest opportunities to uplift livelihoods of resource poor farmers as production has increased and markets for both processed and raw cassava have manifested in recent years. The major challenge has been fostering appropriate linkages between farmers and markets and to transform the increased production to usable products. Lessons from work done in Malawi indicate that use of individual lead entrepreneurs and involvement of private sector partners is key to sustainability of the cassava business. The major motivation for sustainability of the business is ownership and profits generated from the enterprise. Industrial testing of products and training of lead entrepreneurs on appropriate processing technologies are key to create awareness and open new markets. Problems associated with low educational levels, group dynamics, lack of ownership and lack of common vision have been found to be the major limiting factors for group or association owned initiatives. 2010 2018-01-30T11:26:15Z 2018-01-30T11:26:15Z Conference Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/90654 en Limited Access International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Mahungu, N.M., Jumbo, S., Sandifolo, V., Howard, D., Mhone, A., Nthonyiwa, A. & Rusike, J. (2010). Linking farmers to markets: opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in Malawi. In N.M. Mahungu (Ed.) Root and tuber crops for poverty alleviation through science and technology for sustainbale development: proceedings of the 10th ISTRC-AB symposium, Maputo, Mozambique (pp. 47-57) Ocotber 8-12, Ibadan: IITA. |
| spellingShingle | farmers markets agribusiness cassava food security malawi livelihoods sub-saharan africa Mahungu, N.M. Jumbo, S. Sandifolo, V.S. Howard, D. Mhone, A. Nthonyiwa, A. Rusike, Joseph Linking farmers to markets: opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in Malawi |
| title | Linking farmers to markets: opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in Malawi |
| title_full | Linking farmers to markets: opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in Malawi |
| title_fullStr | Linking farmers to markets: opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Linking farmers to markets: opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in Malawi |
| title_short | Linking farmers to markets: opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in Malawi |
| title_sort | linking farmers to markets opportunities and challenges for cassava farmers in malawi |
| topic | farmers markets agribusiness cassava food security malawi livelihoods sub-saharan africa |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/90654 |
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