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The Honorary President of the Network of Farmers' Organizations of West Africa (ROPPA), Mr Mamadou CISSOKHO, called on researchers to adopt a more rewarding approach, and to better consider smallholders as real players in the agricultural private sector, in their programs.

This was the subject of a dialogue between researchers and end-users on the expression of technology and innovation (T&I) needs and the collection of emerging research requirements, organized by CORAF on October 31, 2022. 

Founded in Benin in 2000 by several national platforms of West African farmers' organizations, ROPPA's mission is to promote the development of family farms and peasant agriculture, while mastering policies linked to the liberalization of national economies and the globalization of trade. 

The Honorary President of ROPPA felt that it was time to restore the image of smallholders and stop relegating them to second place, as has always been the case up until now.

"Researchers often talk about "the private sector and smallholders". Yet rural areas account for 85% of investments, take 100% of risks and use 70% of the workforce. So how can we consider smallholders as anything other than part of the private sector?" asks Mr. Mamadou CISSOKHO. 

"Help us stop saying 'private sector and smallholders'. This is detrimental to us. We need to change the narrative and include smallholders in the private sector in their own right," pleads ROPPA's Honorary President. 

Scientific argumentation and an inclusive approach

However, he calls on researchers to treat the subject scientifically, considering indicators such as investment, risk-taking and job creation at smallholder level.

Researchers could therefore use these indicators to study the possibility of categorizing the latter as a formal private sector, and come to an evidence-based conclusion, says the expert. 

For example, he recommends that researchers talk about the rural private sector.

In all cases, "it's not just a question of attributing an imaginary name, but it has to be backed up by a scientific argument", stresses Mr. CISSOKHO.

In addition, the representative of farmers' organizations calls for greater involvement of smallholders in programs, from design to implementation. 

This means that they must be explicitly included in budgets, and given the means to do what they are asked to do. 

"In the implementation of programs, smallholders and civil society must play certain crucial roles. However, their involvement comes at a cost. We need to be budgeted for in the same way as all the other stakeholders, to enable us to play our role to the full", stresses ROPPA's Honorary President. 

Read also: 

• Researchers and end-users meet to take stock of T&I and research needs in agriculture 
• CORAF to strengthen the resilience of the productive base of the West African food system through PRSA
• The World Bank mobilizes to combat food insecurity in West Africa

The dialogue between researchers and end-users of agricultural T&I was organized within the framework of the Food System Resilience Program (FSRP).

The PRSA is financed by the World Bank. The first phase of the PRSA, scheduled to run from 2022 to 2026, will be implemented in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Togo.