TOWARDS DIRECT MARKETING OF PRODUCE BY FARMERS IN INDIA: LESSONS FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

摘要

With supermarkets sourcing produce from around the world, small farmers in the United States have learned not only to survive but to thrive by employing direct marketing strategies aimed at consumers interested in obtaining locally-grown produce. In India today, small and marginal farmers are burdened by global price fluctuations, mounting debt, and unsustainable agricultural practices. Rather than give up farming, we argue that India's farmers could successfully adopt low-input farming methods as well as direct marketing models used in the US, such as farmers' markets and community-supported agriculture. With appropriate public, private, and community support, these models could hold great promise for Indian farmers.