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Providing Services to Smallholders
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Introduction
Elements for Successful Business
Market Linkages
Overview
Which Services are Needed?
Credit - How can it best be provided?
Research, Training and Extension
Agro-Chemicals, Fertilizers and Seeds
Crop Storage, Purchasing and Transportation
Monitoring and Evaluation of Service Provision
Agricultural and Environmental Practices
Quality Assurance & Human Health and Safety

Current and Future Trends

 


AGRO-CHEMICALS, FERTILIZERS AND SEEDS - HOW BEST CAN THEY BE PROVIDED?

Together with information on the latest techniques, smallholders need easy access to the most appropriate seeds, chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers and equipment to develop efficient and innovative production systems. There are five factors that affect smallholders' decisions to buy and use purchased inputs.

These are:

1. Affordability
2. Availability
3. Access to information
4. Uncertainty and risk
5. The commercial context

The cost and availability of inputs affects both the quantity and quality of crops produced by smallholders. Private companies working with smallholders need to overcome these constraints by providing alternative input-supply mechanisms.

More information:
'Key Sheets' provided by the UK Government's Department for International Development. The purpose of these sheets is to provide decision-makers with an easy and up-to-date point of reference on issues relating to the provision of support to smallholders. The following are available:
· Seed supply: http://www.odi.org.uk/keysheets/seed.pdf
· Fertilizer supply: http://www.odi.org.uk/keysheets/fertil.pdf


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Natural Resources Institute 2003