Background
Reliable market access boosts productivity increases incomes and strengthens food security. It can contribute to reducing poverty and hunger for producing families and their communities, if appropriate measures are taken to reduce market risks and unequal market power. Many rural producers often face serious difficulties in accessing markets to sell their goods in the marketplace. They
are constrained by their remote location, high transportation costs, limited knowledge, and the lack of business skills and an organization that could give them the bargaining power they require to interact on equal terms with other market intermediaries. Agricultural and food product markets have changed significantly over the past 30 years. Modern value chains serving national and regional markets – particularly in urban areas – now complement traditional markets. All of this means more opportunities for smallholder producers, but also risks if they are pushed out of these markets. It isn’t always easy to connect smallholders to markets, nor to ensure their produce meets market standards. Unequal distributions of power also mean small producers can earn significantly less than other actors, such as larger processors, retailers, and exporters.
2. Aim/goal
Increasing farmers/rural people’s access to markets is a top priority for BiDNetwork SL Limited. Better access to domestic and international markets allows small producers to reliably sell more produce, with better quality and at higher prices. This in turn encourages farmers to invest in their own businesses and increase the quantity, quality and diversity of the goods they produce.
3. Objectives
Equitable, win-win partnerships: BiDNetwork SL Limited facilitate projects to increase greater market access and market development for the rural people. Others support segments of (mostly production, primary processing, and marketing) or the entire value chain. These agricultural value chains are complex, involving not just producers but also input dealiers, traders, processors, retailers, and other service providers. Interventions at various links of the value chain have the potential to create income for the rural poor.
BiDNetwork SL Limited is dedicated to promoting a more systematic and pro-poor way of doing business with the private sector working on agricultural value chains.
4. Strategy
Our approach will include:
Manage Agricultural Business/product marketing call center.
5. Partnership, Management, and administration:
BiDNetwork SL Limited will collaborate with mobile phone companies for establishment of Hotline/Agricultural Marketing Call Center. Additionally, we will incorporate and operate Sierra Leone Farmers Yellow Pages and farming Updates through periodic newspaper slots and radio/TV discussion forums.
