Linking Worlds

New Business Models for Sustainable Trading Relationships

circle of hands The development case (potential for reducing poverty) for including smallscale producers in global supply chains is clear. Companies are increasing willing to invest in incorporating smallholders into their supply chains -- to access new supplies, create product lines for ethical shoppers, and be part of achieving the millennium development goals.

But successfully including poorer smallscale producers into formal value chains in ways that supply consistent, quality production and stable terms of trade and help farmers build capacity over time isn't straightforward.

The linking worlds paper outlines a set of principles for businesses to consider when adapting their supply chain business model to the more effectively bridge the world of diverse smallscale producers and modern market requirements.

Authors: Bill Vorley (IIED), Shaun Ferris (CRS), Don Seville (SFL), and Mark Lundy (CIAT). February 2009