Income and fair markets

COMACO trading is centered around
producer depots, above rice;
below poultry

From its long-term monitoring of rural livelihoods in Luangwa Valley, WCS concluded:

• Past agricultural markets generally offered low prices for producers, which discouraged farmers from developing better farming skills, thus contributing to low food crop production.
• Certain markets promoted particular cash crops, most notably cotton and tobacco, that raised rural income but proved potentially harmful to soils and indirectly harmful to wildlife and watershed resources from their impact on deforestation..
• Rural communities lacked the means or skills to negotiate better trade deals to serve their own livelihood needs or their interests in managing natural resources.

COMACO has addressed these problems by establishing regional trading centres that support producer groups with 1) increased options of marketable commodities, 2) improved trading services and 3) much improved producer prices linked to better land management practices.To view these results please click here -