In spite of their differences, there are some essential features that are common to all farmer organisations. One of these is the need to find a balance between their interests as a group and the interests of its individual members. How – and when – is this balance found? Following the framework to analyse the … Read more

Although the 2012 UN International Year of Cooperatives is half‑way through, it has already contributed much to showing the importance of farmers’ organisations. Collective action by farmers is very much needed, especially when farms are (or will become) too small to be attractive to trading partners. Smallholder farmers are, by definition, scattered, and so they … Read more

The Empowering Smallholder Farmers in Markets (ESFIM) initiative is a farmer-driven research and policy development programme that started in June 2008. Its overall objective is to generate demand-driven action research that supports the policy activities of farmers’ organisations. By helping to create an enabling policy and regulatory environment, and more effective economic organisations and institutions, … Read more