Paul Rigterink

From Peace Corps Wiki

In 2008, I contibuted a chapter on Microenterprises and Food Security to a book on Food and Water Security. The paper describes how micro-enterprises can contribute to the food security and income of small-scale farmers by providing supplies and training in return for a share of the small-scale farmer’s earnings. A table is given which provides the business planning required so that small-scale farmers and micro-enterprises jointly can become productive. With emphasis on arid and tropical regions, more information is given on how to develop the supply chains and training materials required. The Rockefeller and Gates Foundations (2006) have started a pilot program in Africa using ideas similar to what are suggested in this paper. In particular, the Program for Africa Seed Systems (PASS) hopes to provide training, capital, and credit to establish a network of 10,000 small African agro-dealers. In turn, these agro-dealers can serve as conduits of seeds, fertilizers, chemicals, and knowledge to small-scale farmers to facilitate increasing productivity and income