Getting supply chains right is important but rural enterprises doing so without paying strong attention to market demand, quality expectations, and long-term buyer relationships, struggle to scale sustainably.
Our Director-Operations, Anoosha Singh addresses this gap in her opinion piece for the Hindustan Times and breaks down what it takes to build market linkages that last.
“For years, livelihood programmes focused primarily on production. Today, there is increasing recognition that higher incomes require stronger engagement with markets.”
“A 2024 Asian Development Bank study found that many women’s collectives struggled to convert exhibition visibility into a sustained market presence. The disconnect is fundamental: These collectives often treat the exhibition as the destination, failing to realise that buyers, not exhibitions, dictate the terms of success. Sustainable market presence requires aligning production with specific buyer needs, such as quality standards, necessary certifications, and the strategic positioning and where scarce resources are invested.”
This article was originally published in the Hindustan Times. Read the full article here.
