Files
Abstract
The role of the smallholder in supplying national and international
products is significant, particularly as populations and markets are
continually increasing. In emerging economies many governments are
now under-resourced and direct support to smallholders has reduced;
this has directly resulted in yield and quality decline and continual soil
degradation. Olam, like others, is dependent on smallholder supply
chains for many of the products within the businesses we operate. In response, the
role of the private sector in supply chains has progressively changed over the past 10
years, taking up the role of delivering extension-based services to smallholder farmers
so they can continually rise to the challenge of the growing markets. Olam has invested
heavily in supplying technical training support, inputs and finance to ensure our supply
chains are continually developing through increased integration with our farmers to
ensure these important supply chains are not put at risk. Olam’s model is to invest in
processing units and then build the community farmer-based supply chains to keep
that processing unit fully operational.