Agriculture

Enhancing Incomes and Competitive Position of Farmers

Agriculture and small farmers have been central to MEDA’s work since its founding in 1953. Most of the world’s poor are small farmers. Despite the adverse effects of climate change and the quickly rising cost of petroleum-based farming inputs, there is abundant opportunity to improve small farmers’ incomes and competitiveness. Improved crop production and pest management methods can double and triple yields. Better stewardship of soils can sustainably improve soil fertility giving a further boost to crop yields. Investment in more productive farming equipment and storage facilities enables small farmers to expand farm crop output and reduce post-harvest crop spoilage. And, by banding together to form informal crop marketing alliances or formal crop marketing partnerships, small farmers can sell to larger buyers and earn better prices for their crops.

As their incomes rise and their market opportunities expand from incrementally embracing such changes, these small farmers reinvest in further expansion of their farms and inspire their neighbours to do the same. MEDA’s projects focus on achieving these kinds of gains in partnership with small farmers, establishing more productive, more competitive and more profitable small farming systems in developing countries in around the world.