Agriculture Development and Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE) II

The overall goal of ADVANCE is to increase competitiveness of the maize, rice and soybean value chains.

The intermediate results are; (i) increased productivity in targeted commodities, (ii) increased market access and trade, and (iii) strengthened local capacity.The project activities will continue to focus on addressing harvesting and post-harvest handling of farm produce through the use of demonstration sites to train farmers on best practices.

Other activities include creating or strengthening market linkages between producers and major buyers by strengthening supply chain relationships between outgrowers (farmers who grow produce on behalf of a "lead" farmer) and their outgrower businesses; as well as trade between the outgrower businesses and the larger buyers and processors who serve as end-buyers.

ADVANCE will work with local organizations and local government partners to increase their capacity to facilitate the value chain through farmer mentoring programs and direct support to local non-governmental organizations and government partners.