The impact of farmer to market linkages on livelihoods and natural resource management in Uganda

Farmer to market (F2M) linkages physically connect smallholder producers to the buyers. This book gives an insight into the different institutional approaches to F2M linkages, and the benefits of such linkages to the market at the household level. F2M linkages increase the market access for smallholder production in contrast with selling surpluses to local markets. Institutional F2M linkages resulted in annual smallholder incomes of US$600 predominantly from sales to different market linkages while food shortages, which occurred at least once a year were reported by 65% of the respondents. Of the institutional linkages, social capital and gender aspects were stronger in the households affiliated to the NGO type institutions and weaker in the private. A higher intensity of coordination of the tri and multi sector partnerships between the three sectors and other sectors is essential to cater for sectoral weaknesses and improve the co-ordination of linkages and farmers livelihoods.