Thumbnail Image

FAO Agribusiness Roundtable: Small and medium agri-processing enterprises competitiveness challenges in central and Eastern Europe

17-20 April 2011, Budapest, Hungary

Year of publication 2012

Pages 47

Author Regional Office for Europe

Product type Book (stand-alone)

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Rapid urbanization and commercialization of agriculture is increasing the demand for processed agricultural and food products, and as a consequence eff ectively excludes farmers from direct participation in markets. On the one hand, farmers (particularly small farmers) faced with pressures from the agro-industry to supply raw materials in required quantities are experiencing diffi culties integrating into value chains. On the other hand, local agroindustries, challenged by global and reg ional competition and the need to comply with international regulations, are also experiencing diffi culties in establishing their position in the supply chains of multinational retailers, which if they could achieve, would enable them to pull the demand for local agricultural products. Small and medium sized agri-processing enterprises are responsible for generating a large share of products and services in the agricultural sector and play a critical role in increasing demand for raw ma terials. They create income and employment in rural areas where the opportunities for employment are frequently sparse. Small and medium sized agri-processing enterprises (SMAEs) can play a critical role in creating rural income and employment opportunities, through the demand they create for raw material supplies from smaller and medium scale farmers. SMAEs that are appropriately capitalized and managed can produce high quality branded and labeled products, which can increase export r evenues and reduce reliance on imported products. However, there are major constraints that must be addressed in order to realize the full developmental potential of SMAEs.

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    FAO Roundtable on the Competitiveness of Pacific Island Small and Medium Agro-processing Enterprises, 11-13 April 2012, Nadi, Fiji Islands
    Roundtable report
    2012
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Twenty four representatives of small and medium sized agro-processing enterprises from six nations were sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to attend a roundtable meeting on the competitiveness of these enterprises in the Pacific Islands. The roundtable was designed in such a way as to allow participants to make equitable representations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Reducing food loss and waste in the processing, distribution and retail operations of micro, small and medium-sized food processing enterprises
    A technical manual
    2024
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Reducing food loss and waste (FLW) is an important concern for all stakeholders across the food value chain – from producers, those involved in harvesting, handling, distribution, processing, and retail, to consumers. There is an urgent need to raise awareness and, more importantly, build the technical capacities of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the agrifood sector, allowing them to reduce the levels of food loss in their processing and distribution operations. This manual is designed as an easy-to-use, informational, and instructional resource on how to measure and reduce food losses at the MSME level, and to reduce food waste in retail. It presents salient information on:
    • identifying food loss hotspots and their underlying causes in the processing and distribution operations of MSMEs;
    • measuring the levels of loss at each hotspot;
    • introducing simple innovations that are technically, economically, and socially appropriate, as well as good practices to reduce food loss at each hotspot; and
    • measuring food waste in retail and identifying actions that can measurably reduce the levels of food waste in retail.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Document
    Challenges and opportunities for Nepal’s small and medium forest enterprises (SMFEs)
    Forest Connect - Diagnostic studies on small and medium-sized forest enterprises
    2009
    Also available in:
    No results found.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.