The Role of Smallholders in Import Substitution & Industrialization

Already 500 million smallholders produce 80% of the food consumed in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Supporting smallholders provide the greatest impact in terms of income creation, raw material supply to industries and food security, in particular when associated with low external input agriculture methods. Given the fact that malt barley in Ethiopia is dominantly grown in high lands where land is fully occupied by smallholders. The rational decision should be where all stakeholders strongly work on how to make smallholders more efficient and business oriented. Hence, not only is it important that the Ethiopian government strengthens its focus on smallholders, it is also important that government works with industry & CSOs to ensure that PPP investments promote productivity, prosperity, sustainability, cost efficiency & competitiveness of the chain. The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings and relations." The understating between buyers & sellers is very crucial to work together, share experience, resources & knowledge. There is African proverb which says "The youth can walk faster but the elder knows the road".