A scoping review of the contributions of farmers’ organizations to smallholder agriculture

Abstract

Farmers’ organizations (FOs), such as associations, cooperatives, self-help and women’s groups, are common in developing countries and provide services that are widely viewed as contributing to income and productivity for small-scale producers. Here, we conducted a scoping review of the literature on FO services and their impacts on small-scale producers in sub-Saharan Africa and India. Most reviewed studies (57%) reported positive FO impacts on farmer income, but much fewer reported positive impacts on crop yield (19%) and production quality (20%). Environmental benefits, such as resilience-building and improved water quality and quantity were documented in 24% of the studies. Our analysis indicates that having access to markets through information, infrastructure, and logistical support at the centre of FO design could help integrate FOs into policy. Natural resource management should also be more widely incorporated in the services provided by FOs to mitigate risks associated with environmental degradation and climate change. Finally, farmers who are already marginalized because of poor education, land access, social status and market accessibility may require additional support systems to improve their capacities, skills and resources before they are able to benefit from FO membership.

Adoption of banana (Musa spp) production technology among small-scale farmers in Embu West Sub-County, Kenya

“…Desuckering refers to removal of surplus and unwanted suckers from banana stool which would otherwise compete with the main plant for water and nutrients and reduce production level (Bizikova et al, 2020). On the other hand, deleafing and debudding are recommended banana technologies in management of some banana diseases.…”

The Role of Cooperatives in Brazilian Agricultural Production

“…From (7), it becomes possible to obtain the average potential result of 𝑌𝑌 � 𝑖𝑖 for each treatment level. That is, it is possible to identify the effect of different levels of MSCM on average agricultural net income, as well as on the value of production and expenses.…”

“…Cooperatives (although the word "cooperative" can be applied to different types of collectively developed activities, we use the term to describe a democratically controlled and managed business model. In many countries, as in Brazil, cooperatives are defined legally as a specific kind of corporation and are subject to specific national legislation [4]) can serve as an alternative marketing option, especially for small farms, and may be used to narrow this wide disparity between large and small farms [5][6][7][8][9]. Agricultural cooperatives can help farmers obtain higher prices compared to alternatives such as capitalowned firms [10][11][12][13].…”

Agricultural Cooperatives and COVID-19 in Southeast Africa. The Role of Managerial Capital for Rural Resilience

“…Farm households throughout Africa have long since organized to reduce exposure to idiosyncratic risk, which accounts for most of the shocks affecting agriculture-dependent livelihoods [4][5][6]. The scant data available suggest that every other rural village in Africa houses a smallholder-owned cooperative organization of some sort [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. The proliferation of such organizations is largely attributed to a wealth of social capital that results from interdependent rural livelihoods [17,18].…”