Smallholder market support

Smallholder farmers produce most of the world’s food, yet many are food insecure and among the world’s poorest people. They face major challenges, including limited access to inputs and finance, inadequate post-harvest management that leads to crop losses, and growing exposure to extreme weather.

World Food Programme (WFP) smallholder market support programmes help farmers overcome these barriers by connecting them to markets, improving the quality and value of their produce, and strengthening the local food systems they depend on.  

Why smallholder farmer support matters

Smallholder farmers are central to food security. When they can grow more food, reduce losses and sell at better prices, entire communities benefit.

Families have more stable incomes. Local markets become stronger. Food is more available, closer to where people need it. And communities become better able to withstand shocks without depending on repeated humanitarian assistance. 

How WFP supports smallholder farmers

WFP helps vulnerable smallholder farmers connect to reliable markets so they can sell their products and earn a sustainable income.  

WFP supports smallholder farmers in improving the quality, quantity and value of their products. This includes better post-harvest practices and facilities, so crops are protected from mould, pests and other factors that generate losses.  

Access to finance is also a key component of this work. Through savings, credit and loan schemes, WFP ensures smallholder farmers can access agricultural inputs and post-harvest equipment when they need them most. WFP also helps smallholder farmers access risk-insurance schemes that help protect them when shocks hit.  

Individual farmers often struggle to supply larger markets on their own. WFP supports farmer organizations and cooperatives in pooling their produce, so they can improve their bargaining power, reduce costs, reach more buyers and improve their own food security.  

Smallholder market support often forms part of WFP’s integrated resilience programming, combined with restoration of degraded ecosystems and increased access to job opportunities, or linked to school meal programmes. This helps create demand for local products while strengthening resilience and improving food security and nutrition in communities.  

Lasting impact

By supporting smallholder farmers, WFP helps tackle hunger at its roots. Stronger farmers mean stronger local markets. Stronger markets mean more reliable access to food. And stronger food systems help communities prepare for, absorb and recover from crises.

This work is part of WFP’s broader commitment to tackling hunger and building sustainable food systems. It helps farmers move from vulnerability to opportunity, while strengthening the markets that feed their communities.