Food Marketing In Developing Countries

Marketing is defined as the business activities associated with the flow of goods and services from production to consumption. The marketing of agricultural products begins on the farm, with the planning of production, and is completed with the sale of food or other goods to consumers or manufacturers. Agricultural marketing also includes the supply to farmers of fertilizers and seeds as inputs for production. Overall, marketing is an essential component of successful agriculture but its importance is often underestimated, especially in developing countries. This book brings together the most significant writings on agricultural and food marketing as related to development over the last 40 years. The editor has selected key sections of significant books and papers, grouped them by their overall theme, and provided introductory commentaries. The book is intended for students of food and agricultural marketing in the developing countries and will also interest professionals in this subject area.

Inadequate transportation and storage, poor market information, lack of capital, and other chronic marketing problems in developing countries have been dramatized by recent production increases. To focus more attention and resources on food marketing in developing nations, U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. Department of Agriculture held a seminar in Washington, D.C., to discuss these problems and set priorities for AID/USDA efforts. Major topics covered include key considerations in marketing policies, marketing enterprises and the flow of resources into marketing functions, nutrition and marketing food for the needy, efficiency in the marketing system, regional experiences in marketing problems and priorities, and approaches to technical assistance. There was a consensus that marketing problems need to be dealt with on an integrated national basis which serves producers, consumers, and national development goals. A number of specific areas of activity were given high priority: 1) better identification of technical assistance and research needs in marketing; 2) improvement of marketing management capability; and 3) providing more adequate marketing information for consumers, producers, and distributors.