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The BIG Smallholder Opportunity: ‘Growing Business with Smallholders’ practitioner workshop is Nov. 19-20 in Germany
It’s clear that smallholders are important partners for improving food security when considering that, with 500 million farms worldwide, they cultivate most of the land in developing countries. To achieve food security, effective mechanisms to equip smallholders with the right inputs and tools.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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World Food Day: Availability, Access and Use : Stronger agricultural inputs, tools and financing are key
In much of the world populations are expanding dramatically with demand for food increasing in-step. Food security is composed of three facets; availability, access and use, and in many of the countries where we invest we see challenges across all three. At Acumen Fund we believe that a critical way to improve food security is by improving smallholder farmers’ access to stronger agricultural inputs, tools and financing. In a sector where innovation abounds, millions of smallholder farmers are still struggling to produce decent crop yields, resulting in poor nutrition, bad health and stagnant growth. For the last decade Acumen has been addressing this issue through a series of innovative investments in agriculture in Africa and South Asia.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Health Care
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Sweetening the Deal: Empowering Peruvian Chocolatiers
From Oct. 2011 to July 2012, I worked in Tarapoto, a small Peruvian jungle town in the San Martin province. San Martin was known in the 1980s and ’90s as a hotbed of illicit coca production feeding the drug trade, but years of development efforts have since helped to make legitimate agriculture the engine keying the region’s rapid economic growth.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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The $450 Billion Opportunity: Catalyzing Smallholder Agricultural Finance
As population growth and rising incomes create unprecedented demand for food, multinational companies increasingly rely on smallholders to secure their supply of agricultural commodities. As a result, smallholders present a compelling opportunity for buyers, lenders, and other actors in the agricultural value chain. However, smallholder production is often characterized by low yields, low quality, poor linkages, and little access to finance. A Dalberg report released Wednesday called “Catalyzing Smallholder Agricultural Finance” suggests that with increased financing, farmers can improve their yields and products and in some cases double their income.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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Peace Pays: Rebuilding Livelihoods in Northern Uganda
On Friday, the world will celebrate Peace Day, giving this work a special significance. Conflict and poverty are inextricably linked. On the other hand, economic growth reduces the risk of conflict. TechnoServe has seen this throughout our history, in countries such as Nicaragua and Mozambique. Giving people the opportunity to earn a living is one of the best ways to guarantee a lasting peace.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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Linking Supply Chains, Farmers and Sustainability : A New Rainforest Alliance report analyzes the financing needs for investing in sustainable supply chains
Development agencies, private sector actors and NGOs are working with farmers globally to help them adapt their farming to the needs of the 21st century. But the financial sector argely has been behind the curve. With The Citi Foundation and Rabobank, the Rainforest Alliance launched a finance initiative focused injecting sustainability into supply chain finance.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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Bridging the Gap: Unlocking Business Opportunities in Developing Countries
Local farmers or small companies lack the organization, knowledge, capital or incentives to provide these products. These factors are red flags for larger private-sector businesses looking to develop new sources of supply. What’s needed in these sectors is coordination at multiple points along the supply chain to help the market function properly.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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NexThought Monday: Angolan Robusta – Getting the Best Coffee in the World to Market
I was 100 percent sure after tasting Angolan coffee that it could overtake Brazil and Colombia, and fill all of our cafes, grocery stores and kitchen counters with its amazing lush aroma and spectacular taste. But, in interviewing cooperatives, manufacturers and buyers, I came across several caveats that hinder the Angolan coffee industry and its farmers, and thus, our access to this marvelous product.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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