To meet the challenges of the sector, significant investments are needed at all stages of the value chain. Small family farms, which account for 90% of all farms in the world, lack the financing to conduct their activities, increase their yields and secure their incomes. Agro-industry must also be supported to improve processing and storage activities, invest in infrastructure and provide more opportunities for farmers.
Supporting these sectors requires strict control of the environmental and social risks involved and the dissemination of best practices throughout the value chain. The sector's contribution to sustainable development depends on the ability of its stakeholders to provide decent working conditions, ensure equitable distribution of value, promote gender equality, respect the rights of communities, etc.
These topics are at the heart of the new issue of the review Private Sector & Development. In this issue, private actors, such as the Kenyan tea cooperative KTDA or the founder of Les Vergers du Mékong in Vietnam, share their field experience, researchers offer their analysis of the issues and consultants present best practices and discuss the conditions for their implementation.