In the latest episode of Farming First TV, we talk to Dr. Richard Pluke, Senior Agricultural Advisor at Fintrac, about the organisation’s “value chain approach”.
“People complain about problems with markets,” Dr. Pluke comments. “The truth is, the markets are out there, you just need to produce for them and become a dependable supplier.” If smallholders are able to plug into markets and become successful, he argues, the entire rural economy can be boosted as a result.
Getting farmers the information they require to make their business thrive, such as financial services and climate advice, is a key component of Fintrac’s work. Launching on their website this week is a new collection of lessons learnt from projects in the field. The first infographic in the series looks at improving connectivity for smallholders:
Ultimately, the future of agriculture in the developing world is going to depend on “feet on the ground”, and getting important technological developments into farmers hands, says Dr. Pluke.
“There is so much that we know that works, but farmers have not heard it, they have not had it demonstrated. So we need to get out there,” he concludes.
For more exclusive video interviews with experts in agricultural development, visit www.farmingfirst.tv.