The
importance of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa cannot be underestimated. Over
70% of the arable land is under smallholder agriculture. The sector employs
more than 70% of the workforce, and is the primary source of income for rural
populations. It contributes significantly to foreign exchange earnings and
accounts for more than 35% of national gross domestic product.
It
is therefore important that smallholder farmers are supported to modernise
their operations in order to grow viable business enterprises that can generate
enough income to sustain the needs of their households. Linking farmers to the
market should be a priority for any agricultural programme that aims at poverty
reduction.
Initiatives
to develop market linkages for smallholder agricultural production have faced a
number of challenges. Smallholder farmers are typically poor and practice low
input agriculture, not by choice but due to poverty. This results to low
productivity and production. Big buyers find it problematic to deal with this
category of farmers due to inconsistency and unpredictability of supply. Encouraging
farmers to organise into viable producer groups could provide some solutions to
these challenges. It is therefore important to build capacity in group
governance as well as transparency for group leadership, so that they can
effectively manage and administer the groups’ affairs.
Other
challenges to market linkages include:
Transport
infrastructure: Poor transport infrastructure makes marketing of agriculture
produce uneconomical. Most productive areas are remote and not well connected
to the main market hubs. Transport to and from these areas is very expensive
for transporters as they have to take wear and tear costs into consideration.
Governments can accelerate development of smallholder commercial agriculture
production by upgrading feeder roads.
Lack
of market information: Due to the scattered and unorganised nature of
smallholder agriculture and lack of communication tools, most farmers are
ignorant of potential markets. They rely on extension workers, where they
exist; otherwise it is by word of mouth, which in most cases the information is
distorted or inaccurate. It is therefore important that a good information
system is developed for smallholder farmers so that they can make informed
decisions for their enterprises.
Climate
change: Climate change poses a big threat to agricultural production, more so
for smallholder agriculture, which is mostly dependent on rainfall. Changing
rainfall patterns is a challenge to consistent production and productivity. Any
interventions that will mitigate the impact of climate change on agricultural
production should be mainstreamed in any initiative that promotes
commercialisation of smallholder agriculture.
As
an emphasis, it is crucial that smallholder farmers are supported to modernise
their operations in order to grow viable business enterprises that can generate
enough income to sustain the needs of their households.
Guest
editorial
“Agriculture
not only gives riches to a nation, but the only riches she can call her own.”
Samuel Johnson
