Sales to New Markets

Farmers’ ability to sell to new markets is likely to reduce their dependency on the price offered by monopolistic buyers, increasing their chances of receiving a higher income for their produce. This indicator therefore measures the number and proportion of target farmers who started selling their produce to new, previously unutilized markets (i.e. buyers).

Collect the following data by conducting individual interviews with a representative sample of the target household members responsible for selling agricultural produce:

RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTIONS (Q) AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS (A)

Q1: In the past [specify the number of months or years], did your household start selling its agricultural produce in a place or to a buyer where it did not sell before?

A1: _

1) yes, started selling in a new place

2) yes, started selling to a new buyer (but at the same place)

3) no, did not start selling in a new place or to a new buyer

(if the previous answer is YES, verify it by asking the following question)

Q2: Where is the new place/ who is the new buyer?

A2: specify: …………………...

(the following questions are recommended but not mandatory; ask them only if the answer to Q1 is YES)

Q3: Why did you start selling in a new place/ to a new buyer?

A3: [pre-define the possible answers based on the local context + include an option “other – specify: ………………….”]

Q4: Compared with the place where you sold before, do you by selling in the new place/ to a new buyer gain the same, higher or lower prices?

A4: _

1) the same profit as before

2) higher profit than before

3) lower profit than before

To calculate the indicator’s value, divide the number of target farmers who started selling their produce to new markets by the total number of interviewed farmers. Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

1) Ensure that all data collectors have the same understanding of what “selling in a new place” or “to a new buyer” means. For example, when a local middleman who purchases at the farms’ gate is replaced by another one, it should not be counted as “selling to new markets”. The data collectors must be able to distinguish this very clearly and record the correct response.