Linking Small Farmers to Markets

2. Linking Small Farmers to Markets Brief Overview and Updates: Where we are and its link to ASEAN

3. LSFM context • Small farmers and agricultural producers are unable to benefit from the price differential between farm gate and market price of their products • They have very little opportunity in understanding the dynamics of the market, supply and demand conditions, economy of scale, etc. 3

4. poverty made worse by: • TRADE LIBERALIZATION (Unjust trade rules that prevent people from receiving a fair price for their goods; competition from cheap imports; price manipulation) • CLIMATE CHANGE (Droughts, erosion and other environmental causes that threaten the land and water on which their farming depends) • POOR INFRA, INVESTMENT IN AGRI (High cost of doing business in isolated areas where roads and communications are poor) 4

5. Only very few NGOs have acted out as effective market facilitators and intermediators. • AsiaDHRRA believes that markets have an important role in rural development and poverty alleviation in rural Southeast Asia. 5

6. strategic goal • Thus, LSFM’s strategic goal is to contribute to the reduction of rural poverty in Southeast Asia by empowering small farmers and producers to effectively engage the markets. 6

7. Five Components of LSFM Policy Advocacy Partnership Building Market Intermediation Mechanism Strengthening Building Capability-building Market Research

8. Governments/ASEAN & Other Asian International Bodies Policy Advocacy Partnership Building Market Research Mapping Marketing initiatives Value Change Analysis Production Capacity Inventory Market Intermediation Mechanism Building Strengthening Formal Markets Capability-building NGOs Agricultural Commodities Small Farmers/ Producers Groups Challenges

9. Selected Agricultural Commodities Tea in Vietnam Free-range chicken in Cambodia Calamansi in the Philippines

10. Researches and Studies Outputs • Map of CSO Marketing Initiatives in three (3) pilot countries • Value chain study of fresh calamansi fruit commodity, puree and powder • Value chain study of free-range native chicken • Value chain study of tea • Inventory of production capacities of selected small farmer organizations • Capacity-assessment of selected farmers organization

11. LSFM Training Workshops A total of 137 farmer leaders, NGO staff and advocates undertook training workshops at the regional and national levels. • Regional Forum and Training Workshop entitled “Making markets work for small farmers: Understanding Marketing and Market Intermediation” in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 7-9, 2008. • Regional Training Workshop entitled “Complying with Market Requirements on Food Safety and Product Quality,” Siem Reap, Cambodia, January 19-23, 2009. • Two National Training Workshops in Cambodia • One National Training Workshop in the Philippines entitled “Achieving Economy of Scale Towards Successful Market Engagement”

12. Partnership-Building • Creation of the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) at the regional level with the representation from the business sector, academe, NGOs and farmers organization. • Creation of National Project Advisory Group/Technical Working groups in 3 pilot countries. • Partnership with FAO, World Rural Forum • Mobilization of Agriculture Ministry/Department’s, other government agencies at the local and national levels.

13. Policy Advocacy • Partnership with World Rural Forum in an advocacy for a UN declaration for an Internationl Day of Small Farmers/Small Holder Agriculture • Identified a policy paper for the support and protection of small holder agriculture/small farmers for food security and poverty reduction goals.

14. Market Intermediation Mechanisms Identified and linked the following to act as market intermediation mechanism in each of the pilot country: • CEDAC Natural Agriculture Product Shops and Country Bird Restaurants in Cambodia; • Upland Marketing Foundation, Inc. in the Philippines; and • VNFU as facilitator of Supply Contracts in Vietnam.

15. Challenges • Most farmers relate with markets. Complete subsistence farming are very few. • Most studies have pointed out that access of small farmers to markets are weak because (among others): • They have weak technical capacity • The are faced with extreme difficulties in comply w/standards • They are confronting with strict contract conditions • They lack the resources • They are exposed to additional risks.

16. Challenges These weaknesses by small farmers are heightened by: • The policies of privatization, liberalization and the creation of the WTO and the European Union in the 1980s to 2000s that triggered investments by food manufacturers and retailers. • Simultaneously with the increased urbanization and the shift of consumer preferences.

17. Challenges The results pushed small farmers into a more disadvantaged position: • A tremendous increase in modern food processing • Very tight competition • Retail business became much more complicated • Higher product quality and food safety requirements, now we have additional certification, labelling, traceability requirements • Much higher production and marketing costs

18. Challenges Access of small farmers to markets has further weakened: • Buyers would prefer to establish a plantations for a certain agricultual product or deal only with large suppliers, aggregators, middlemen and traders, • Than deal with small farmers because of issues of pole-vaulting, low product quality and very high costs related to dealing thousands of individual small farmers.

19. Challenges The is therefore a need to support small farmers at the ground level to achieved the following:: • Groups or cluster small farmers based on the agricultural product are formed so that they will be able to consolidate production at economic scale; • Provision of specific agricultural extension and training to help small farmers produce better quality products; and • Help them plan to achieve a synchronize production system to ensure that there is available supply and that delivery of a specific commodity is ensured periodically and regularly.

20. Association of Southeast Asian Nations Ten nations, One community

21. ASEAN Secretariat ASEAN Secretariat building inaugurated on 9 May 1981 Jakarta, Indonesia

22. ASEAN Member Countries Brunei DarussalamCambodiaIndonesiaLaosMalaysiaMyanmarPhilippinesSingaporeThailandViet Nam

23. Area and Population

24. Economic Performance

25. URBANIZED Countries Brunei Darussalam 2.1% Singapore 0.1% TRANSFORMING Countries Indonesia 15% Malaysia 7.7% Philippines 19.1% Thailand 9.3% Vietnam 20.2% AGRICULTURE-based Countries Cambodia 33.1% Lao PDR 50.2% Myanmar 42.9%

26. Goals of ASEAN • To accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavors; and • To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law. 26

27. ASEAN VISION 2020(1997) • A concert of Southeast Asian nations, outward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies. 27

28. as civil society, we need to know our agenda... • What is ASEAN? • What is our take on the ASEAN as an institution? • How does it affect our lives and where is this taking us? • Who are we? • Why are we stakeholders in this? • Who’s interests do we represent? • What do we want? • What is our own vision of ASEAN? • What do we want ASEAN to be? • Where should our ASEAN take us? • Where do we then take ASEAN? 28

29. Dreaming for an Ideal Regionalism for ASEAN: Key Principles • Cooperation and solidarity based on equity, peace and justice • People’s participation and empowerment in decision-making With concrete mechanisms for participation at different levels and components • Accountability and transparency addressing the basic needs of the people • Based on people’s control over and rights to productive resources • Recognition of human rights and fundamental rights of basic sectors • Principles of sustainable development: inter-generational equity • Sharing of appropriate and environmentally-friendly technologies 29

30. an integration that is.. • Not just economic/trade: political, social, cultural, environment • Result of an endogenous process • People must have a feeling of ownership over the regional integration process and governance • Premised on the need for countries to give up some of their sovereignty and powers to the regional process/ structures of governance • Fundamental principles of civil society engagement with governments should be the basis of engagement on regionalism 30

31. www.aseanfoundation.org ASEAN Foundation 1997

32. Objectives of the ASEAN Foundation • Promote greater awareness of ASEAN, and greater interaction among the peoples of ASEAN as well as their wider participation in ASEAN's activities inter alia through human resources development that will enable them to realize their full potential and capacity to contribute to progress of ASEAN Member States as productive and responsible members of society.

33. Objectives of the ASEAN Foundation • Endeavour to contribute to the evolution of a development cooperation strategy that promotes mutual assistance, equitable economic development, and the alleviation of poverty.

34. Farmers can overcome difficulties with: • Knowledge • Skills • New technology • Capital

35. Small producers often lack the knowledge they need to identify new products or buyers in order to compete. They need knowledge to make more informed decisions about what to produce, when to produce it, at what price, for whom and in what quantities.

36. Small producers need help to ensure the quality of their products, obtain loans, manage their resources and ensure their operations are efficient and profitable. They need skills on processing, quality control, packaging, marketing and finance.

37. Simple, low-cost technology that adds value to raw goods can dramatically improve the long-term incomes of small producers. Small producers need creditand capital to sustain their operations

38. ON-GOING AF PROJECTS Focus on Bridging Farmers to Markets • Linking Small Farmers to Market • Strengthening Capacity of Small Holder Aquaculture Farmers for Competitive and Sustainable Aquaculture • Capacity Building on Supply Chain Management for Agribusiness SMEs in the Mekong Region

39. Thank You