I have always advocated for the application of the Inclusive Market-Oriented Development (IMOD) framework to establish inclusive agribusiness. As the term implies, inclusive agribusiness should be inclusive and that means the smallholder farmers and fisher folk must also become viable partners with the big players in the value chain. The models to initiate inclusive agribusiness include: Inclusive contract arrangements; corporatives (partnerships between big business and smallholder farmers/fishers/growers); and cooperatives/farmers associations that are managed by the farmers themselves. Many decades ago, the idea of large agribusiness companies entering into mutually beneficial agreements with smallholder farmers was almost alien, as big companies were more interested in getting raw inputs from mostly smallholders at the lowest possible prices. In this regard, ISU can take the lead in helping smallholder farmers forge partnerships with large agribusiness companies, and even provide initial training for the tillers of the land.

Source: Manila Times December 14, 2017 17:03 UTC