Articles authored by Poole, Nigel

In many less developed countries (LDCs) that are undergoing economic adjustment the promotion of the agricultural sector is constrained by resource limitations that include finance, and human and institutional capacity. The inability of the state to provide essential agricultural services, for example, agricultural extension and research, leaves a void that could be filled by specialised organisations within the non-governmental sector (NGOs).

Smallholder farmers in developing economies face a range of marketing and exchange problems. This article concerns the organisation of vegetable markets in Ghana, in which transactions are characterised by uncertainty, mistrust and undeveloped buyer-seller relationships. It recommends adopting written standard form contracts to improve buyer-seller exchange and suggests key contractual features.