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Leveraging the role of MSMEs in food systems transformation: Insights from fruit and vegetable chain studies across five countries
Midstream micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can help transform our food systems by linking small-scale farmers to markets, offering affordable food to both urban and rural areas, creating jobs and opportunities for young and female entrepreneurs, and supporting sustainable, circular food practices. However, challenges such as high levels of food loss and waste (FLW), food safety concerns, and inefficient governance structures hinder their contributions.
The study of MSMEs is important to both the CGIAR Research Initiative on Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) and Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation (SHIFT). FRESH investigates how midstream traders in the informal sector can innovate within food systems in Benin, Tanzania, and the Philippines to sell more fruits and vegetables (FAV), while SHIFT has conducted case studies in Ethiopia and Viet Nam to explore the challenges faced by MSMEs in delivering FAV sustainably. Collectively, the case studies from these five countries illustrate the challenges and potential entry points for improvements.
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