How do we make sure supply chains can efficiently bring safe and nutritious foods to market?
The world’s growing population increasingly buys—rather than grows—the food that it consumes: We need to develop supply chains that efficiently bring safe and nutritious foods to market.
Food supply chains are the complex networks of actors, regulations, and incentives that create a pathway by which agricultural products become the food on our plates. Especially in low and middle income countries, food supply chains are notoriously inefficient. As a result, safe and nutritious foods are generally more expensive than less healthy food alternatives.
To fix food supply chains, we will need to work to improve regulations, create incentives, and support supply chain actors to create a system that rewards the production and marketing of safe, nutritious foods.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the food system in developing countries, and are especially important suppliers of food for low-income consumers. Building capacity for SMEs to bring safe and nutritious foods to market is therefore critical. But supporting these SMEs is seen as a laborious process and a risky investment.
Public private engagement (PPE) offers an opportunity to address the two biggest constraints to SMEs by providing 1) technical assistance and other capacity-building opportunities to increase know-how, and 2) access to finance through grant funding, debt funding or equity investment.
Improving supply chain efficiency is a win-win. Greater efficiency can both lower the cost of safe, nutritious food for consumers and can also increase revenue for actors along the supply chain. So how can actors from the public and private sectors help support and incentivise SMEs along the value chain to ensure that safe and nutritious food is grown, produced and sold to consumers?
The resources in this section look at some of the main barriers for smallholders and SMEs, and how PPE has or could help make it easier, more profitable and more financially sustainable for farmers, processors and retailers to bring healthy foods to market.
Top resources we think matter
Reports and discussion papers:
This white paper from the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) makes the case for investing in n
Reports and discussion papers:
This briefing addresses the distinct roles that each partner can play in promoting nutrition under the Comprehensive African Agricultural Developme
Case studies and tools:
Covers a checklist for formal public private partnerships spanning: rationale, design, implementation, sustainability, and the roles for brokers at
Advocacy and policy:
A detailed review by the FAO on public private partnerships in agribusiness.
Initiatives:
Move Food Initiative
Case studies and tools:
Republic of Botswana Agricultural Services Support project
Case studies and tools:
Food systems for healthier diets Vietnam
Audio/videos/podcasts:
Making sustainable sourcing mainstream
Audio/videos/podcasts:
The future of fresh
Blogs/news/opinion:
COVID-19 and resilience innovations in food supply chains
Reports and discussion papers:
COVID-19 and its impact on food security in the Near East and North Africa: How to respond?
Reports and discussion papers:
Is your supply chain holding growth hostage?
Reports and discussion papers:
Rapid response: A pragmatic approach to maintaining supply chain resilience in times of uncertainty
Case studies and tools:
Manuals for the manufacture of complementary foods - Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda
Reports and discussion papers:
Driving innovations in smallholder engagement: Insights in service delivery and finance
Blogs/news/opinion:
Cocoa’s child laborers
Advocacy and policy:
Ripe for change: Ending human suffering in supermarket supply chains
Reports and discussion papers:
Focus on supply chain efficiencies
Reports and discussion papers:
The safe food imperative : Accelerating progress in low- and middle-income countries
Reports and discussion papers:
The role of public private partnerships in promoting smallholder access to livestock markets in developing countries
Reports and discussion papers:
Public private partnerships for innovation led growth in agri-chains: A useful tool for development in Latin America?
Reports and discussion papers:
A seat at the table? Ensuring smallholder farmers are heard in public-private partnerships
Case studies and tools:
Value chains for nutrition in South Asia: Who delivers, how, and to whom?
Reports and discussion papers:
Global agro-food supply chain: Is there space for Africa?
Blogs/news/opinion:
How partnerships can create resilient food supply chains
Reports and discussion papers:
Building collaboration for learning in inclusive agri-business
Advocacy and policy:
The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Africa report
Case studies and tools:
Actions between profit making and aid: Improving social entrepreneurship for food security
Reports and discussion papers:
A portfolio scan of the facility for sustainable entrepreneurship and food security
Advocacy and policy:
Agri-food SMEs: Collaborating for innovation along the supply chain
Blogs/news/opinion:
Is the global food industry investing in smallholders?
Reports and discussion papers:
The enriching business of nutrition: Market-based partnerships and regional approaches to nutrition: What role for CAADP?
Case studies and tools:
Integrating SMEs into global value chains: Challenges and actions from Asia
Advocacy and policy:
Farmer organisations for market access: An international review
Looking for more?
We have pulled together evidence and experience to make it easy for you to find, understand and use the best available evidence and experience to stimulate public-private action and investment for nutrition.
Initiatives
Grow Africa
Grow Africa is a partnership founded jointly by the African Union (AU), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD Agency) and the World Economic Forum in 2011. Working to increase private sector investment in agriculture, Grow Africa facilitates collaboration between governments, international and domestic agriculture companies, and smallholder farmers to lower the risk and cost of investing in agriculture, and improve the speed of return to all stakeholders.
Marketplace for Nutritious Foods
GAIN's Marketplace for Nutritious Foods (“The Marketplace”) is a platform that fosters innovation and drives investment in the production, marketing, and consumption of nutritious foods made from locally-produced agricultural products. The Marketplace provides access to knowledge, networks, and technical and financial assistance to help businesses in poor countries use local agriculture to contribute to the fight against malnutrition.
Looking for other nutrition champions?
Explore the organisations, platforms and initiatives to see who else is working to promote better nutrition through public private engagement.