What is the problem or need the project is addressing?
Agricultural marketing chains in rural areas of East Africa are disconnected and inefficient. Small farmers only know middlemen, middlemen only know big buyers, and so on to the consumers. There is a lot of distrust between different players, resulting in cheating, inefficiencies and ultimately lower prices and lower profits for all involved.
Transparent information for all players along the market chain can break through these inefficiencies. There is a commercial opportunity throughout the East Africa region for small, trusted, enterprises to provide the brokering and information services that the different players need to improve their transactions. A more efficient marketing chain will ultimately mean increased income for all involved.
What is the project doing?
The aim of this new project is to test an approach for providing marketing information and brokering services to producers in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda), helping them to increase their earnings.
To do this, a unique model has been designed. Individuals and private companies at local, regional and national level in each country will be supported to set up in the business of providing up-to-date market information to farmers and other key players in the market chain. This will help producers to find out vital information such as what is selling well, where the best prices can be found, which buyers are looking for what and so on, enabling them to get the best deal from their sales.
These individuals and market access companies will also play a crucial brokering role, helping to make deals and coordinate sales between different parties on a commercial basis. This will result in a much more streamlined and efficient market chain with higher incomes for all involved.
What impact has the project had?
This is a new project so it is still too early to determine impact, but it has the potential to transform the lives of many thousands of producers in East Africa.
How is this project funded?
The project is funded by the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD).
