ALTERNATIVE LINKAGE MODELS

The examples in this section of the manual illustrate a model of market linkage where the buyer and the growers are linked through an independent intermediary which may be an NGO, a government department, a financing intermediary or another third party organization. It has worked well in many situations but is by no means the only possible model, nor is it the appropriate one for every set of circumstances.

For example:

• Where a horticultural export company has long experience of working with smallholders, and understands and is sympathetic to their needs, it may be well able to work with them directly without need for an intermediary;
• Where a smallholders' organization is strong, it may be able to represent its members directly in dealings with the buyer, or even to perform part or all of the processing and marketing function itself through a co-operative or smallholder-owned company.

Flexible and innovative thinking must be applied in developing and adapting the market linkage model, to find the format which is most appropriate to the needs of all partners in each particular situation.