WHO IS THE GUIDE WRITTEN FOR?

The guide has been primarily written for intermediaries working with or wishing to engage smallholders in the production of vegetables for export. These intermediaries may include small enterprises which service and buy produce from the smallholders, commercial producers, non-government organizations and community-based organizations.

We do not envisage that the guide will be used by the average smallholder, who is unlikely to have access to a computer and the internet. Instead, we anticipate that those working with smallholders will help them to obtain the necessary skills and the information they require as set out in this guide.

Others who may find this guide useful, closer to the consumer end of the chain, include importers, distributors and supermarkets. Whilst they may not use the information in the guide directly themselves, they may recommend the guide to the exporters and packhouse managers along their supply chain. We hope that the guide provides a reassurance to them that smallholders can meet the exacting standards that they require.

While we hope that the best practices presented in this guide will contribute to relieving poverty and promoting economic growth, these issues are not directly tackled. We have focused more on the technical issues of producing and supplying goods of export quality. However the pages on Group formation in the Market Linkages section of the Guide raise important gender and equity considerations.