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Agriculture

Market-driven solutions that improve productivity, incomes, and food security

Chemonics’ approach to agricultural development is market-driven. By building the capacity of agricultural entrepreneurs to respond to market demands and drive change, we promote lasting growth. Our programs focus on working with stakeholders to transform production, enterprises, services, markets, and policy frameworks. Using a facilitative approach, we engage all stakeholders to foster sustainable change that improve food security, livelihoods, incomes, employment, and investment.

 

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Within the context of donor programs such as USAID’s Feed the Future initiative or the U.K. Department for International Development-sponsored Making Markets Work for the Poor approach, we identify market opportunities and work with stakeholders to develop targeted, market-based solutions that reduce risks, upgrade production and marketing practices, and improve livelihoods for direct and indirect beneficiaries.

Food Security: We address food availability, access, utilization, and stability of access through several means, including conducting in-depth monitoring of livelihoods and nutrition for early warning, providing mechanisms for smallholder farmers to improve productivity, strengthening producer and trade associations’ ability to access and produce for high-value markets, and promoting behavior change that encourages households to improve their nutritional status.
 
Value Chain Upgrading: We facilitate technical assistance and innovative solutions throughout the value chain — from farm to fork — working with agribusinesses and service providers to deliver essential inputs, structure agriculture-specific financing mechanisms, and promote efficiencies and quality control in processing, packaging, storage, and transportation of farm goods.
 
Local Capacity Building: We work with organizational stakeholders, such as producers, processors, and trade associations, to build capacity for improved management, member service provision, and business development, including accessing donor funding.
 
Agriculture Markets: From market system analysis, including value chains and their broader context, to market information systems, grades and standards, and market linkage development, we provide expert advice and facilitate access to markets and appropriate technologies to ensure production is demand-driven and market-oriented.
 
Policy Analysis and Development: Chemonics works with agriculture stakeholders and policy makers to advance the understanding of policy issues and takes a tailored approach to improving the enabling environment for agribusiness around issues such as input supply, natural resource management, land tenure, sanitary and phytosanitary regulations, trade, and customs.
 
Land and Resource Rights: Land tenure security enhances agricultural productivity, reduces food insecurity, and promotes sustainable management of soil, water, and other natural resources, by creating the preconditions for farmer investment, access to credit, and conservation.Learn more about our cross-cutting work in land and resource rights.
 
 
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    Rebecca Cague​Rebecca Cague possesses expertise in agribusiness, trade, and conservation. She has managed a diverse portfolio of projects for Chemonics' Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa divisions, including a grants and subcontract fund on the Caribbean Open Trade Support program. She has conducted research and field work in grades and standards, small-holder production, niche markets, and sustainable production techniques. Prior to joining Chemonics, she worked primarily in on-farm agriculture extension, promoting organic and permaculture production practices and crop diversification in rural, economically depressed areas including the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve in Queretaro, Mexico, and Solentiname, Nicaragua. Rebecca holds a B.A. in international relations and an M.A. in community development and the environment from American University’s international development program. Read more

    Stephen “Barry” FisherW​ith 35 years of experience in agro-industry businesses in Africa, Mr. Fisher has expertise in association development and business services, processing, financing, pricing, market and export development systems, and international trade policy and regulatory reform issues. He joined Chemonics in 2003 as the cotton/textile specialist for the Regional Agricultural Trade Expansion Support project and is currently on the regional Competitiveness and Trade Expansion project. Before working for Chemonics, he was the regional director for the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe Ltd. Having started his career in Zimbabwe’s cotton sector, he has been played a full spectrum of roles in the industry, including development, technical, policy, and trading. He helped transform the industry from a state-controlled monopoly into a deregulated, private-sector-driven market. He holds a B.A. in commerce from the University of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. Read more

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