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Tue, 3 Apr 2018 19:12:48 +0000
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Hi everyone,
Here is the most recent input received on topic #1 - “Cooperation among small farms”  — Peter

Q1.1/11 - Question: “1.1 What are different experiences of small farms’ cooperation in other regions? How has this changed over the past 10 years?”

1/ From: Richard Hawkins <[log in to unmask]> (Netherlands)
I am Richard Hawkins, Director of ICRA,<http://www.icra-edu.org/> a small Foundation based in the Netherlands that offers capacity strengthening services to develop small holder farming and build trust in value chains.

The mixed history of cooperative and group development for small holders is long and well documented. We have seen in these discussions the need to develop inclusive business models for small holders, which I believe can only be done if farmers are better organized, and also the need to develop “soft skills”, or “functional capacities”, to enable these farmer organizations to function effectively. There are any number of organizations which exist to help strengthen farmer organizations to that they can better participate in commercial agriculture (e.g. Agriterra<https://www.agriterra.org/>, AMEA<https://www.ameaglobal.org/>).

My argument here is that not only cooperation among small holder farmers is needed (as implied by the wording of topic 1). We also need to strengthen cooperation between small holder farmer organizations and others. These others include the services farmers require (companies or organizations providing inputs; technical, financial, business advice), those who buy their produce (off-takers, including traders, aggregators, SMEs, etc.), and also those who determine regulations, policies, etc. In other words, it is important to strengthen the functional capacity of local innovation networks or partnerships, and not just farmer groups or cooperatives per se. At ICRA, we have developed a number of capacity strengthening modules for this purpose as used in a number of value chain partnerships across Africa, within the 2SCALE Project<https://2scale.org/>. These modules, and many success stories from the project, are available here<https://2scale.org/resources>.

2/ From: Ghulam Qadir Arbab <[log in to unmask]> (Pakistan)
This is reply on input shared by Ms Nasreen Sultana on  Q1.1/10

Arbab Ghulam Qadir writes:
I am very much impressed of your input as it not only highlights the past problem but also gives us a practical solution.
While discussing the sustainability you have also given great idea from your project. wherein 5 groups have been identified/organized.
The practical involvement of all stakeholders is most important to achieve desired goals for betterment of small farms.

Small farmers are struggling since centuries for their survival as they face discrimination on many fronts such as lack of access to loan, bad quality inputs, price discrimination and market knowledge etc.

Top of all I am happy to see in your input that your project has organized, "a tomato processing group was formed by the female stakeholders of the summer tomato niche."

I am very much sure that this female group might be performing comparatively well as compared to other groups because I have witnessed in so many projects that if women are given chance to collaborate, they not achieve desired results but also exceed beyond expectations.

This is also one my suggestion to focus more on involving and organizing women from small holder families in agricultural practices from cultivation to marketing.

3/ From: Sylvester Ayambila <[log in to unmask]> (Ghana)
My name is Sylvester Ayambila from the University for Development Studies (UDS), SALSA partner in Ghana.

Cooperation among small scale farmers in the region is very weak. Very few farmers belong to farmer groups and cooperatives.

This phenomenon has exposed farmers to exploitation by market intermediaries. More than 90% of the farmers sell their crop produce individually. There is virtually no formal contracts between farmers and off-takers.

The situation has improved over the past 10 years. In the Gushegu District (SALSA region in Ghana),  Non-governmental Organisations (NGO) such as Savannah Farmers Marketing Company (SFMC) has been working closely with farmers in establishing a kind of value chain to ensure the production and supply of quality produce.
There were attempts to enforce contracts with farmers to supply farm produce but this has been difficult. Linking farmers to industry in the marketing of farm produce has been difficult due to issues about quality and pricing. The absence of quality standards and market premium have further worsen the desire for farmers’ cooperatives.
Many farmer groups believe they have not really benefited from farmer groups and cooperatives and are therefore reluctant to join. The few farmer cooperatives existing are not active.  Farmers are not able to take advantage of the opportunities in the market in terms of prices of inputs and outputs. They are often excluded from decision-making due to less visibility in the policy arena. They have very little influence on markets and the political space.


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Q1.2/8 - Question "1.2.  Could you provide specific examples of the advantages and/or disadvantages of cooperation among small farms?"

1/ From: Nasreen Sultana <[log in to unmask]> (Bangladesh)
I am Nasreen Sultana, working with FAO Bangladesh as Country Project Manager of Capacity Development of Agricultural Innovation Systems (CDAIS) project implementing in eight countries.

I would like share an example of small farmers collaboration in Bangladesh after I visited it in 2016.

In 2000, mango farmers of Bholahat upazila (sub-district) of Chapainawabganj district of Bangladesh have established a collaboration platform, named Mango Foundation (MF). The upazila is located at the outskirt of the Chapainawabganj district and it borders with India. Mango is the major cash crop of the area which is located under Barind tract that is highly suitable for mango production.
In this area farmers are growing mangoes for generations.

Situation before establishment of Mango Foundation:
1.The mango growers of the area were poor and could not afford children’s school fees;
2. productivity of mango trees was low due to poor technical knowledge of farmers on management of orchard, pests and diseases, and irregular bearing habits of trees;
3. poor marketing infrastructures including road communication;
4. limited access to credit; and
5. poor linkages with research, extension and government offices. In addition two serious social and administrative problems badly affected mango growers’ income:
6. Stealing of mango from orchards, and
7. cross border trade from India

To increase income and improve the livelihood of the mango growers of the upazila, the Mango foundation was formed with the leadership of the then Upazila Nirbahi Officer (Upazila Executive Officer) with 387 members. An executive committee (EC) of 31 members including a local police officer was established.

After the establishment of the Mango Foundation:
1. Mango production increased 2-3 folds;
2. Mango export has been initiated from the area;
3. Technical knowledge of farmers on management of orchard and insect pests increased;
4.  successfully managed irregular bearing of the orchards;
5. established local market place and sheds for mango traders;
6. complete prevention of stealing and smuggling;
7. established strong linkages with local policy makers, administrators and agriculture, rural development officers and exporters;
8. established a marketplace during mango season;
9. Several temporary sheds are built surrounding the market place and
10. the sheds are being leased to the traders during season.

At present the number of members of the MF has increased to 4004 and members can afford fees for children schooling, health, and daily family expenses with the income from the orchards. They bought 14 bigha (more than 4.5 acres) of land and started to build a multi-story building.

Future plans:
1. Expansion of local and international market (export);
2. introduction of safe mango production;
3. establishment of new orchards;
4. setting up standard postharvest handling e.g., pack house, improvement of transportation systems;
5. establishment of mango processing industry;
6. transformation of the area for agro-tourism for mango lovers and
7. upward expansion of the building as the residential hotel for the traders and tourists.

2/ From: Sylvester Ayambila <[log in to unmask]> (Ghana)

The major constraints facing farmers include:

- high cost of inputs and difficulty accessing agricultural machinery (for land preparation and harvesting)
- difficulty accessing financial services (credit) and lack of access to markets.

These are a result of weak cooperation, or no cooperation, among small farmers. Cooperation will offer farmers stronger bargaining power.
The lack of markets for farmers produce is partly due to low quality of produce as farmers do not monitor farm produce quality. Active farmer cooperatives could help solve this issue.
The difficulty accessing financial market is partly due to farmers not willing to join cooperative but prefer to sell individually. Cooperatives can guarantee on behalf of farmers and can enforce quality standards.
Cost of obtaining inputs and difficulty accessing machinery could reduce if farmers belong to active cooperatives. Collective inputs purchase and marketing will reduce transaction cost.


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