Smallholder farmers produce most of the food in developing countries, but still they account for majority of the 800 million food insecure and poorest people globally. The World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian organization fighting hunger worldwide. Smallholders and their families account for a large portion of our food assistance recipients. At the same time, we are a major buyer of staple food — procuring over 2 million metric tons (mt) each year, of which 80 percent is sourced from developing countries.

This is why WFP have been implementing Purchase for Progress (P4P) since 2008, leveraging our purchasing power to connect smallholder farmers to markets. Buying food locally from smallholder farmers has the potential to improve the lives and livelihoods of millions of people, and increase the food and nutrition security of those furthest behind. Farmers sell to WFP, as well as to government and private sector buyers.

These investments are empowering smallholder farmers and their communities to become competitive actors in global market systems. They are strengthening local economies and increasing the resilience and productivity of rural communities.