This conference is a joint project of the University of the Philippines Mindanao, Curtin University of Technology and the Regoverning Markets Program, and is an integral part of the Centennial Celebration of the University of the Philippines.

 Small producers in the developing countries are experiencing difficulty in accessing opportunities presented by nontraditional markets. Fuelled by rising population and greater urbanization, rising income, and an increasing demand for food safety, modern retailers are gaining an increasing share of the food market. Smallholder producers often find it difficult to access these markets due to their inability to meet quality requirements, required volumes, variety and stability of supply. These constraints are magnified by inadequacies in post-harvest facilities, inventory and logistics management, and governance mechanisms that result in the failure to provide cost competitive products. Furthermore, the lack of financial resources limits the capacity of farmers to cope with the credit terms often utilized by these modern markets, and their ability to invest in appropriate technologies to better improve performance.

For more information you may visit the website of the organizers -- University of the Philippines, Mindanao www.upmin.edu.ph [1] or http://2008davao.googlepages.com [2] or you may email us at som@upmin.edu.ph [3]. You may also download the conference brochure by following this link [4].