Connecting smallholder farmers to markets
WFP support for agricultural market development
Although smallholder farmers produce most of the developing world’s food, they also make up the majority of people living in poverty. Smallholder farmers are key to addressing many of today’s social, economic and environmental challenges. However, they need help to overcome the substantial barriers that prevent them from profiting fully from their work. Many smallholders lack the equipment and knowledge they need to produce large quantities of quality crops, and lose a large proportion of their harvest to rot and mould due to lack of storage facilities. With limited market information and transportation infrastructure, farmers generally sell to traders for low prices directly from their farms, leaving them with little income to last until the next harvest.