Agricultural markets in most developing countries have been liberalised since the 1980s. Reforms in the sector focused primarily on dismantling state intervention, with little emphasis on developing institutions that reduce cost and uncertainty in commodity marketing. NRI has, since the 1990s, been a lead player in researching as well as developing and piloting solutions to problems that hamper agricultural marketing in developing countries.
Its flagship innovation is the Regulated Warehouse Receipt System, intended to simultaneously ease access to finance and shorten the marketing chain by allowing producer groups to sell directly to processors, large traders, exporters and importers.
NRI has worked extensively in this area, as shown in the following key assignments and list of publications given below. For a copy of these reports please request a copy from us.
Coulter, J. (1998). Making the Transition to a Market-Based Grain Marketing System
Coulter J.P. and Onumah, G. (2002). “The role of Warehouse Receipt Systems in Enhanced Commodity Marketing and Rural Livelihoods in Africa”, Food Policy, Vol. 27, Issue No. 4. [View Here]
Onumah, G. (2003). Improving Access to Rural Finance through Regulated Warehouse Receipt Systems in Africa. Paper Presented At Conference on “Paving the Way Forward for Rural Finance: An International Conference on Best Practices” Washington, 2-4 June 2003 [View Here]
Onumah, G. and Coulter, J. (2000). Discussion Paper - A Review of the Maize Commodity System in Ghana. NRI, UK [View Here]
Onumah, G. (2002). Facilitating Smallholder Access to Warehouse Receipt System in Zambia: Review of Options Report Prepared for the Zambian Agricultural Commodity Agency Ltd. NRI, UK [View Here]
Implementation of Warehouse Receipt Projects for Coffee and Cotton in Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe, (Funded by CFC).
Mid-term review of Warehouse Receipts Projects to Develop Coffee and Cotton Marketing Systems in Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe, (Funded by CFC).
Executing Agency for Projects to Improve Food Systems in Ethiopia, Ghana and Zambia using Warehousing and Inventory Credit, (Funded by CFC, DFID, the Dutch Government and IFAD).
Warehousing Receipt Finance Project Preparation Missions in Mozambique, (Funded by FAO/EU).
Production of a Road-Map for the Establishment of Warehouse Receipts System in India, (Funded by the WB).
Feasibility Study on Improving Grain Marketing Systems in Western Kenya through the Implementation of Warehouse Receipt Financing Systems, (Funded by WB).
Scope for Warehouse Receipt Systems in Senegal, (Funded by USAID).