Innovation Forum: Smallholder supply chain sustainability is (currently) not sustainable
22.12.2020
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Significant reform of how business engages with producer communities and rethinks supply chains structures is necessary, new Innovation Forum research suggests
Innovation Forum set out on the first Innovation Accelerator project to try to understand better what was needed to create genuinely sustainable agricultural supply chains based on smallholder farmers. The aim was two-fold. Firstly, to share learnings from across a range of different supply chains, and secondly to bring in new perspectives from areas like development economics and political economy. Our new report draws on nearly 80 interviews covering a wide range of supply chains including cotton, fruit and vegetables, dairy, coffee, soy, palm oil and maize.
When it comes to smallholder farming communities themselves, we know quite a lot. Furthermore, there is a high degree of commonality between different supply chains. Farmers need support in improving their agronomic practices; they need better access to market to maximise their prices; they need to diversify their production; and, they need ...
Please note that Innovation Forum's Business Brief will return in January.
Readers may also be interested that the sessions from the recent sustainable wine conference are available to download here.
Article and photo source: Press Release / Newsletter