Given the changes that the Post-harvest sector is undergoing, the Strategic Plan brings together and
integrates the parallel initiatives of the three groups:
¿ The Global Initiative on Post-harvest, sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
and implemented in collaboration with the GFAR Secretariat;
¿ The ¿Linking farmers to markets¿ initiative of the Global Post-harvest Forum (PhAction) and
¿ The outcomes of the Sub-plenary Session on ¿Agro based SMEs and markets in Developing
Countries¿, organised by GFAR during the 2003 GFAR Conference.
under the banner of ¿Linking Farmers to Markets,¿ with the aim of improving the ability of the agroproduce
sector in developing country economies to contribute to development. Linking Farmers to
Markets includes the traditional components of post-harvest developmental and research activities
(handling, processing, storage¿.) but also integrates them with other fields such as:
¿ Small enterprise development, especially rural agro enterprises.
¿ Supply chain management, including organisation of raw material supply, channel integration and
logistics, and quality assurance and control through supply chains from retailer to producer.
¿ Globalisation and trade ¿ shaping pro-poor policies and institutions.
¿ Community development ¿ building diversified, robust rural livelihoods in a market economy
¿ Sustainable development ¿ linking agriculture, enterprise, natural resource
conservation/restoration and social equity (gender, HIV/AIDs and the disabled).
¿ Value added transformation technologies.
This joint initiative seeks to:
¿ Goal: contribute to sustainable economic growth, poverty alleviation and food security in
developing countries.
¿ Purpose: improve the livelihoods of producers and consumers by enhancing agri-food systems for
a range of local, national, regional and international markets, through sustainable and equitable
post-harvest interventions.