Article written by Carmelo Troccli, Director General of WorldFMC
Over the past months, the World Farmers Markets Coalition (WorldFMC), together with CIHEAM Bari and local partners, has continued advancing the AREA Africa programme through a series of field missions aimed at strengthening multifunctional agriculture, supporting small-scale producers, and promoting the development of farmers markets and short food supply chains across the African continent.
Following the first missions carried out in the Republic of Congo and Ghana, the programme is now entering a new phase with the preparation of the first mission in Senegal, where the same approach and activities already implemented in Congo and Ghana will be developed and adapted to the local context.
The missions carried out so far have represented an important opportunity to better understand the realities of local food systems, engage directly with institutions and farmer organisations, and identify concrete pathways for the creation and strengthening of farmers markets as tools for rural development and food system transformation.
Learning from the Republic of Congo
The first mission under the AREA Africa programme took place in the Republic of Congo in March 2026. During the visit, the delegation travelled across Brazzaville, Dolisie, and Pointe-Noire, meeting local authorities, farmer organisations, cooperatives, and institutional stakeholders.
The mission highlighted the central role of informal food markets in the country, but also the strong dependence of small-scale farmers on intermediaries, which significantly limits producers’ bargaining power and income. The absence of transportation systems, cold-chain infrastructure, and direct marketing opportunities emerged as major barriers for local farmers.
At the same time, the mission revealed a strong interest from municipalities, farmer organisations, and public institutions in developing farmers markets and short supply chains capable of creating fairer and more resilient local food systems.
The meetings held with national authorities, farmer cooperatives, chambers of commerce, and municipal representatives laid the foundation for future pilot actions focused on multifunctional agriculture, direct sales, food waste reduction, and local economic development.
Building Momentum in Ghana
In April 2026, the AREA Africa programme continued its work with the first mission in Ghana, where the delegation engaged with national institutions, farmer associations, universities, and food system innovators.
The mission confirmed that Ghana is already experimenting with several promising models of farmers markets, ranging from university-based initiatives to community-led and urban market experiences. Discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ghana Food Programme, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), and other stakeholders highlighted the urgent need to strengthen farmers’ access to markets and improve value distribution within the food chain.
Field visits to farms, research centres, and the University of Cape Coast demonstrated how farmers markets can also become spaces for education, innovation, community engagement, and youth involvement in agriculture.
A recurring theme throughout the mission was the importance of empowering farmers through direct sales opportunities capable of reducing dependence on intermediaries while increasing transparency, income generation, and local economic resilience.
The mission also reinforced the growing interest among public institutions, civil society organisations, and local communities in collaborating with WorldFMC and the AREA Africa programme to develop sustainable and inclusive food systems.
Looking Ahead: The First Mission in Senegal
Building on the experience gained in Congo and Ghana, WorldFMC and its partners are now working on the development of the first AREA Africa mission in Senegal.
The upcoming mission will follow the same methodology already applied during the previous country visits: engaging institutional stakeholders, farmer organisations, cooperatives, municipalities, and local communities to better understand the national food system and identify opportunities for strengthening farmers markets and multifunctional agriculture.
The activities will include field visits, stakeholder consultations, institutional meetings, and local context analysis aimed at identifying strategic partners and suitable areas for future pilot initiatives.
With the launch of the Senegal mission, the first phase of exploratory and knowledge-building missions within the AREA Africa programme will officially be completed. These initial missions have been essential to map local realities, identify common challenges across different countries, and establish the partnerships needed to support the future development of sustainable farmers market networks across Africa.
Across all countries visited so far, a common vision has clearly emerged: farmers markets are increasingly recognised as strategic tools to strengthen local economies, improve farmers’ livelihoods, promote local food consumption, and build more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems.
The AREA Africa programme will continue working alongside local partners and institutions to transform this shared vision into long-term impact for farmers and communities throughout the continent.
