Building Food Market Linkages

The project aims to facilitate linkages between smallholder farmers food processors and business owners in targeted developing countries with Canadian companies as a means to foster sustainable economic growth reduce poverty and increase food security. Project activities include: (1) conducting a comprehensive mapping study to document the capacities motivations and barriers of Canadian agri-food businesses in accessing food markets in developing countries and engaging in development partnerships; and (2) facilitating outreach to a range of smallholder farmers civil society organizations and government departments with the objectives of brokering preliminary partnership discussions and creating space for trade and development networks.

The expected outcomes for the project include: (1) enhanced knowledge of where opportunities for growth are for smallholder farmers and small/medium size agri-food businesses (including women owned businesses) in developing countries; (2) improved agri-food trade related intelligence of where Canadian-developing country food market linkages are strongest and where opportunities lie; and (3) identified options and models for an information-sharing platform that would facilitate business linkages between Canadian private sector and smallholder farmers and small-scale producers in developing countries.