Mapping the market: market-literacy for agricultural research and policy to tackle rural poverty in Africa

TLDR: The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a strategic alliance of members, partners and international agricultural centres that mobilizes science to benefit the poor, now recognises that smallholder farmers livelihoods depend on much more than the production of food staples.

Abstract: Within policy, research and development agendas, there has been a re-emergence of interest in agriculture and pro-poor growth in rural areas. A number of multilateral and bilateral aid agencies, for example, Department for International Development, Asian Development Bank and Swedish International Development Agency, have developed ‘making markets work for the poor’ conceptual frameworks and integrated them into their development assistance agenda at the country level. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a strategic alliance of members, partners and international agricultural centres that mobilizes science to benefit the poor, now recognises that smallholder farmers’ livelihoods depend on much more than the production of food staples. The CGIAR is now conducting research on how farmers can better access markets. Many NGOs that have traditionally focused on working with farmers to improve agricultural production and productivity are also broadening their activities to include production, processing and marketing.