New publication: Regional Markets for Local Development

News

Smallholder engagement with agribusiness in practice

KIT is glad to announce and share a new publication: Regional Markets for Local Development, Smallholder engagement with agribusiness in practice.

This book bundles the experiences of practitioners in the field seeking for creative solutions to the world food problem: 9 billion mouths to be fed by 2050. They are the ones exploring and finding solutions to food security and sustainable agricultural development in innovative ways.

Smallholders form the lead in this book that focuses on their increased engagement in local and regional staple food markets. Ten cases from Africa and Asia reflect the challenges they encounter in practice. On the basis of these stories we try to better understand the fast growing opportunities of local, national and regional food commodity markets, and their impact on the development agenda. The practical storyline is embedded in a theoretical framework, and by combining theoretical analysis and practical know-how, we aim to demonstrate the real potential of these ‘regional markets’ for promoting sustainable economic development and food security.

KIT advisor and co-author Jacqueline Sluijs: ‘The basis for the publication was laid in a 5 day’s write clinic in Arusha, Tanzania in which people related to 4 internationally operating organisations: Action Aid International, Fairtrade Africa, Royal Tropical Institute and Wageningen University discussed, worked and did the initial writing. It is great to work with and give a voice to local practitioners/small holder farmers’.

The write clinic was filmed as well. The result, a 4 minute video, portrays the working process whereas the theme and content of the write clinic are captured in written form, i.e. the publication that you have in hand. We are happy to share both the book and video to be used as learning tools for future use.