Building successful value chains for diversified cropping systems, using Hodmedods as an example

Problem

Farmers wishing to diversify their cropping systems need to look for market outlets. However, agricultural product value chain configurations are commonly structured by large retailers and commodity markets. As such, there is a need to find niches for premium markets which accept small volumes of heterogeneous products.

Solution

Value chains with close collaboration between actors, both from the supply chain and wider society, enable direct, dynamic and innovative, relationships that better facilitate management and sales of smaller volumes of diverse products. Hodmedods is an example of a shortened supply chain, established to support farmers to grow novel pulses and grains, to process and market them and ensure a purposeful communication and fair price to farmers and consumers.