Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agricultural chains Family farming Productivity Rural development Trade

New book identifies three ways to improve market access for agricultural producers

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The document drafted by IICA specialists presents success factors and positive experiences implemented in other Latin American countries.

Short supply chains,  supply chain linkages and commercial linkages for differentiated products are three stretagies that favor linking and market presence.

San Jose, 19 January 2017 (IICA). A new document, published by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), details three different commercialization strategies that could allow producers to enter and remain in the market. 

The commercialization of agricultural products is one of the most complex components of agricultural production. In many cases, it poses a serious challenge for producers. Limited infrastructure, scant organization, inadequate market vision, and poor value added are some of the hurdles that producers face.

The document Commercialization Strategies that Facilitate Market Access for Agricultural Producers identified three stretegies that favor linking and market presence:

  • short supply chains, such as fairs and farmers’ markets
  • supply chain linkages, school feeding programs
  • commercial linkages for differentiated products, such as marketing of products with differentiated seals (fair trade, origin, organic, etc.)

“These strategies facilitate knowledge of consumer demands, with the aim of developing processes that add value and help small producers integrate into the market, thus allowing them to improve their profits”, said Fatima Almada, leader of Sustainability of Family Farming at IICA.

For each strategy recommended, conditions and success factors are presented to enhance its function. The document includes a report of about 50 cases in the Americas and the Caribbean that may be used as reference, and one to evaluate the initiatives as well.  

“It is hoped that the institutional and commercial innovations encouraged though this document will contribute to increase agricultural productivity and competitiveness, the production of high quality and healthy food, and the well-being of rural territories”, stated Daniel Rodriguez, leader of Agribusiness and Commercialization at IICA.

This document, a free online publication, is a public good that IICA presents to its Member States to assist agricultural producers with market entry and sustainable management. It was drafted by both the Competitiveness and Sustainability of Agricultural Chains and the Productivity and Sustainability of Family Agriculture flagship projects at IICA.

 

More information: daniel.rodriguez@iica.inthernado.riveros@iica.intfatima.almada@iica.int

 

Publication: Commercialization Strategies that Facilitate Market Access for Agricultural Producers

 

Share

Related news​

Buenos Aires

June 2, 2026

IICA and CPBIO participate in Maizar 2026 Congress in Argentina and launch the Mobility Energy Transition Movement, with a key role for biofuels

The shared aspiration of the participating entities is to build a common agenda that will accelerate the development of sustainable energy solutions, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and promote an energy transition adapted to Argentina’s capabilities and opportunities.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Donación de productos agrícolas libres de pesticidas del CATIE al IICA, que incluye plátano verde, papaya, malanga y huevos, destinados a comedores escolares de centros educativos de Coronado como parte de una iniciativa de responsabilidad social.

San José, Costa Rica

June 2, 2026

From the farm to school cafeterias: pesticide-free products reach educational centers in Costa Rica thanks to CATIE/IICA joint effort

A chain of collaboration from the farm to school cafeterias in the municipality of Vázquez de Coronado, Costa Rica, allowed children and adolescents from various schools to receive fresh, pesticide-free foodstuffs as part of a joint initiative by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE).

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Merida, México

June 1, 2026

Cooperation among producers, businesses, researchers, and international organizations like IICA is key to preventing devastating banana disease

The Global Alliance Against TR4, whose Executive Secretariat is operated by IICA and which is composed of major stakeholders in the world’s banana industry, promotes research aimed at finding resistant varieties and increasing on-farm prevention practices.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins