Role of financial agencies in integrating small farmers into a sustainable value chain: a synthesis-based on successful value chain financing efforts
With changing agricultural business environment, the conventional direct marketing method is becoming a less feasible option for small and marginal farmers due to emergence of supermarkets, increasing consumers’ preference for value-added food products, high production and marketing cost associated with small scale of operations and increasing consumers’ emphasis on quality, safety and appearance of the product. Hence farmers must enter into a value chain in order to adapt to the changing business environment.