ICRISAT - ICRISAT: Medium Term Plan 2010-12 - 2010-12

Description:
As per Output 1.2. These efforts are summarized in four output targets namely:
2009 1.5.1: Development domains report for southern Africa
2010 1.5.1: Policy options for increasing agricultural productivity to mitigate HIV susceptibility
2010 1.5.2: Constraints, challenges and opportunities for regional cooperation in R and D and
alternative regional research and development strategies in southern Africa report
2011 1.5.1: Adaptation strategies and layers of resilience to climatic related shocks in Asia
documented
Alignment to CGIAR Priorities : 5A: Improving science and technology policies and institutions;
Output 6: Strategies for increasing competitiveness through identifying preferred
market traits and introducing quality control systems to meet social, food safety and
environmental standards for dryland crops established and promoted
Description:
In the coming decade, whether smallholder producers in the SAT would be able to invest in
new agricultural technologies and escape poverty would depend on their ability to access
domestic, regional and international markets for their produce by making necessary
adjustments to meet growing quality standards and improving efficiency in production and
marketing. Efficiency in production would depend on their ability to access and exploit the best
available technology and inputs. Market access requires access to demand and price
information in different markets, seasonal patterns of supply and price changes, credit, and
availability of essential services. Given the complex factors that limit the functioning and
efficiency of markets in rural areas, diverse policies and institutional arrangements can be
employed to make markets work for the poor. Vertical coordination of production and
marketing arrangements to improve economies of scale and reduce transaction costs will be
critical. This is already evident in the region through cooperatives, producer organizations, and
contract farming, whose role is likely to increase in the coming years. Linking producers
directly to the upper part of the value of chain can shorten the supply chain, reduce the role of
intermediaries (and transaction costs), and raise farm-gate prices while prices to poor
consumers remain low.
As demand for a consistent supply of homogenous and quality products increases, there will be
growing demand for private sector participation in agriculture through contract farming and
other arrangements. This may also pose new threats and opportunities for small farmers in the
SAT. While it may create monopolistic behavior and further marginalize less competitive and
unorganized poor farmers in low potential areas, it may provide reliable market outlets and
access to inputs, skills and technologies for some producers that will improve production
efficiency. Future research will need to identify efficient strategies and equitable mechanisms
for linking producers to markets and enforcing such contracts, while also protecting the
livelihoods of marginal farmers under transitory and chronic poverty.
ICRISAT efforts will focus on the following elements:
– Mapping values chains and identifying profitable marketing channels and outlets
– Understanding the existing grading and quality control systems and effects on prices
– Determinants of smallholder market participation and marketed surplus
– Policies and institutional arrangements for better coordination of production and marketing
to enhance competitiveness
The research strategy focuses on the following output targets:
ICRISAT MTP 2010-12 13