Maximising the impact of outgrower schemes - Opportunities, challenges, and lessons from the AECF
This learning paper reviews the experience of out-grower projects funded by the AECF. Outgrower schemes are formed around an agreement between a smallholder farmer and a contracting company who makes a pre-harvest commitment to buy their produce. It assesses how outgrower projects benefit smallholder farmers, identifies common characteristics of successful outgrower projects, and diagnoses common challenges faced by outgrower projects.