Smallholder Data: What information does the private sector collect about smallholders, how can it be improved, and how is it relevant to the SDGs

Findings on data that is collected by agri-businesses and their financiers about smallholders across 6 value chains in 3 countries

Abstract

Smallholders are the backbone of agricultural production in developing countries. They supply 70 percent of Africa’s food, and smallholder farming supports the livelihoods of 500 million households around the world. This summary presents findings from a UK Department for International Development (DFID) research funded project, covering the data that is currently collected by agri-businesses and their financiers about smallholders across six value chains in 3 countries: Ethiopia, Kenya and Malawi. 18 actors completed questionnaires or engaged in interviews, with 6 of these selected for in-depth case studies in the field.

This report was produced by researchers at the Institute of Development Studies(IDS) and Itad. This research was funded by DFID’s Policy Research Fund

Citation

Stephen Spratt, Peter O’Flynn, Seife Ayele and Rachel Eager (2018) Smallholder Data: What information does the private sector collect about smallholders, how can it be improved, and how is it relevant to the SDGs. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies

Smallholder Data: What information does the private sector collect about smallholders, how can it be improved, and how is it relevant to the SDGs

Updates to this page

Published 31 December 2018