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SMALLHOLDER STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Understanding
these strengths and weaknesses enables buyers and exporters to optimize
smallholders' strengths and to address
their weaknesses
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Strengths
Of Smallholders
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Weaknesses
Of Smallholders
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Use 'labour-intensive' techniques - this enables them to grow
crops which cannot be mechanized, such as those requiring transplanting,
pruning, training and staggered harvesting, i.e. many crops grown
for export
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Grow crops requiring skilled management and attention to detail
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Grow for specialized markets
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Produce crops with lower costs
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Live in geographically dispersed farms in a wide range of climates
that allow for greater continuity of supply
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Exist in large numbers with access to land that increases the
supply base to the export horticulture sector
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Their scattered distribution and independent decision making increase
the difficulty and cost of monitoring to ensure traceability of
produce.
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Have higher transaction costs because they require greater organization
and co-ordination.
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Have difficulty in obtaining technical information, advice, services
and essential inputs such as credit, seeds, fertilizers, and machinery.
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Have weak negotiation skills often accompanied by poor levels
of education.
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