Projects
Market Linkages Initiative (MLI)
Client: United States Agency for International Development
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2009-2011, SEGIR GBTI II |

MLI was a two-year regional program that promoted growth in food staples and food security, working alongside partners such as ACTESA (Alliance for Common Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa) to integrate smallholder farmers into more efficient national and regional markets.
MLI worked in Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, the Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Malawi. In Rwanda, it worked closely with the USAID Post Harvest Handling and Storage (PHHS) project.
MLI worked to achieve four main goals:
- Expanded and strengthened Grain Bulking Systems (GBS) in target locations
- Enhanced capacity of smallholder farmers to integrate into GBS
- Sustained GBS operations in relevant market institutions
- Institutional platforms that disseminate lessons learned and best practices
Download the project's Fact Sheet and Brochure
- Lessons learned in food security for East Africa
- VIDEO: How partnerships and technology boosted food security in East Africa
- Filling the gaps in Uganda's staple food network
- East Africa has new Crop Conditioning Handbook
- Grants leverage private investment toward Rwandan food security

