Farming Matters - 29.2 - New markets, new values

Monday, 8 July, 2013 - 14:07

This issue of Farming Matters presents a small sample of the many innovative marketing arrangements being developed by both producers and consumers. These experiences generate substantial employment, and also build local food security and food sovereignty. Yet they are often overlooked by policymakers and mainstream development experts who view them as “niche” initiatives, supposedly irrelevant for larger development processes. There is work for researchers here: by analysing and quantifying their impact, they can help policymakers see the real strengths of localisatio

"We need to support what farmers are already doing"
Medius Bihunirwa, head of the Farmers’ Enterprise Development Unit at the Kabarole Research and Resource Centre, works with small-scale farmers in Uganda, helping them to access markets. In an interview with Farming Matters, she speaks about agency. She believes that, provided farmers have accurate information, they are able to choose which markets work best for them – and these may be either sophisticated value chains or informal markets. Read the interview
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Old traditions, new practices
After a long list of food scares, consumers in the Netherlands are becoming more cautious and want to know more about the origins of their food. As a result, a growing number of farmers are selling their products directly to them. A range of different initiatives, started by both farmers and consumers, and operating at different levels (from the national to the local) are showing the many benefits of stronger linkages between the two groups. Read more
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New section on youth and agriculture
Dinesh Panday, representative of the Young Professionals’ Platform for Agricultural Research for Development (YPARD) in Nepal, is the first to write for the new section in Farming Matters which will present the voices of young people and explore the challenges and opportunities they face. Dinesh thinks that one of the things missing in agriculture today is imagination, and that it is up to young people to do something about it. Read more
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Local food systems: Tzimbuto and Canasta Utopía
The growing distance between producers and consumers has led to a drop in farmers’ incomes; more limited choice for consumers and less varied and healthy diets. Ecuador’s Canastas Comunitarias is a national network of urban, lower class families who have crafted a model that helps them save money, while providing access to quality foods. Their alliance with farmers’ organisations is showing even larger benefits, and an enormous potential for change. Read more