Outgrower institutions were designed to support farmers with inputs, services, and structured market access. However, many are now marred by debt, poor governance, and non-performance, leaving farmers vulnerable.
This theme will examine strategies to restore these institutions to their foundational mandate by:
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Developing new governance frameworks with transparency and accountability mechanisms to curb mismanagement.
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Exploring cooperative reform models, such as digitized records, audited elections, and anti-theft controls.
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Designing financial sustainability pathways, such as revolving credit lines, insurance, and subsidized inputs via performance-linked partnerships.
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Promoting tech-driven farmer engagement platforms for real-time updates, grievance redress, and education.
This track seeks scalable solutions that can help cooperatives and outgrower institutions become agile, responsive, and farmer-centric.