Smallholder farmers in Bihar, India, struggled to access agricultural markets. Weak infrastructure, limited value-added opportunities, and inadequate policy support prevented them from scaling their operations and earning higher profits. The lack of farmers’ collectives and gaps in price information further restricted their participation in agricultural value chains.

MSC implemented the Bihar Agricultural Marketing Network project to strengthen market systems through policy improvements, infrastructure development, and institutional capacity building. This multiyear initiative sought to create an efficient, accessible market environment for farmers to drive inclusive agricultural transformation in Bihar.

MSC worked closely with the Government of Bihar and provided strategic consulting on agricultural marketing policies. It strengthened farmer producer organizations (FPOs), promoted agri-exports, and improved market infrastructure. MSC-led activities enhanced value chains through stronger linkages, reduced price information gaps, and improved data collection. Additionally, MSC unlocked financial resources, facilitated policy reforms, and scaled market-related interventions to accelerate agricultural growth.

The project successfully delivered significant outcomes. It unlocked more than USD 356 million to support and expand market-related interventions in Bihar. It also activated more than 100 market nodes to collect real-time price and arrival data, which were integrated into the Government of India’s Agmarknet portal. The initiative also played a key role to advance policy reforms in agri-export regulations, FPO formation, and the allocation of public market assets.

Capacity-building efforts were also a major focus. More than 200 government officials, 191 FPOs and farmer producer companies (FPCs), and 112 agri-exporters across 28 districts in Bihar received training to enhance their market participation and operational efficiency. These interventions strengthened primary and secondary markets, improved infrastructure, and created new economic opportunities for small-scale producers and women-led collectives.

The Gates Foundation commissioned this project to MSC for the Government of Bihar.

Inland aquaculture and fisheries offer significant opportunities to improve women’s livelihoods, incomes, and resilience in Bihar, India. However, many fisherwomen face challenges, such as unequal work distribution, lack of decision-making power, limited financial resources, poor access to technology, and restricted roles in the value chain beyond fish production.

To address these challenges, MSC implemented a multiyear gender-inclusive inland aquaculture transformation initiative. MSC strengthened women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and supported smallholder fisherwomen through strategic consulting and capacity-building programs. We provided training to enhance technical skills in fisheries, facilitated access to better fish species, introduced sustainable aquaculture practices, and promoted nutrition awareness through behavioral change communication.

One of MSC’s most impactful interventions was the establishment of Matsya Sakhis—trained experts on aquaculture and fisheries from the community. These experts are equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to improve fish farming, enhance nutrition literacy, and advocate for gender equality in the fisheries sector.

The program also drove a strong nutrition awareness campaign using puppet videos, recipe booklets, and community workshops, which benefited adolescent girls and young children. The project empowered fisherwomen through enhanced control over resources, improved household nutrition, more income, and long-term resilience.

The program reached 200,000 households across 2,300 ponds and significantly improved fish production and household nutrition. Household fish consumption increased as families started to consume 15% more large fish species and 85% more small fish varieties directly from their ponds. The initiative also contributed to Bihar’s aquaculture sector by generating an estimated economic value of more than USD 13 million.

The Gates Foundation commissioned this project.

In Cambodia, most agricultural production is carried out by smallholder farmers. These farmers face significant challenges, such as limited access to technology, finance, markets, and infrastructure. The impacts of climate change exacerbated these challenges. To address these issues, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) conceptualized the Modern Agriculture Communities (MACs) to establish economically robust agricultural enterprises. MACs would help farmers overcome traditional challenges and adapt to climate change.

MSC had to develop a comprehensive business plan to establish and operationalize MACs. We conducted a detailed literature review and secondary research to analyze Cambodia’s agricultural landscape and the challenges smallholder farmers face. We designed quantitative and qualitative research tools, which included structured surveys, focus group discussion (FGD) guides, and key informant interview (KII) frameworks, to gather robust data from various stakeholders. We then conducted a quantitative survey with more than 300 farmers across four crops, organized eight FGDs with MAC management and farmer members, and held six KIIs with value chain actors. These insights form the basis for the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for MACs and a business plan template.

MSC developed a value proposition and market strategy for the MACs and created a detailed financial blueprint and management framework. We also designed practical SOPs and a business plan template to support the successful implementation and scaling of the MAC initiative across Cambodia. The initiative also promoted gender equality, as women comprised a significant portion of agricultural cooperative members.

The Cowater International, which manages the CAPRED facility, commissioned this project.

The seed sector in Nepal struggled with issues related to production, processing, quality control, and business management that hindered the growth of seed companies.

MSC assessed the challenges of seed companies and identified solutions to bridge the technical and business management gaps of local seed companies. MSC reviewed Nepal’s agricultural input sector extensively with a focus on seed policies and market trends. We assessed 27 private seed companies, which included R&D-licensed firms, license applicants, improved seed producers, and seed importers. Additionally, we engaged with key stakeholders, such as Pathways Technologies, CIMMYT, and NARC, to gain a broader industry perspective.

We analyzed the collected data and developed a detailed report with targeted recommendations to strengthen Nepal’s seed production and quality control. MSC also provided strategic guidance on the integration of ICT solutions to enhance business operations in the seed sector.

MSC’s findings and recommendations would help strengthen the seed production system and processing, and ensure quality control activities for seed companies in Nepal. They would also help strengthen Nepal’s private seed sector and seed companies, enhance agricultural productivity, and support more than 200,000 farmers through improved seed systems.

The USAID and Winrock International commissioned this project.

Farmer producer companies (FPCs), sustainable livelihoods, smallholder farmers, fisheries, India, Bihar, women’s empowerment, agriculture

The JEEViKA Special Purpose Vehicle for Agricultural Transformation (JSPVAT) project was launched in December 2019 as a five-year initiative to transform Bihar’s agriculture, livestock, aquaculture, and fisheries sectors. MSC addressed key challenges and improved livelihoods through technical support, market linkages, and capacity building for smallholder farmers and producers. We strengthened farmer producer companies (FPCs) across Bihar, with a strong focus on women’s economic empowerment.

We supported FPCs to drive local economic growth for smallholder members. We also provided vital assistance for staple crops, such as paddy, wheat, and maize, essential to Bihar’s agricultural economy. Engaging smallholders in various economic activities throughout the year enhanced productivity and income stability. Additionally, we introduced innovative strategies to improve access to finance, which ensured the long-term growth and sustainability of FPCs.

Nearly one million women and smallholder farmers in Bihar benefited from the JSPVAT program. Strengthening FPCs led to a 560% increase in revenues for farm- and livestock-based enterprises. Around 200,000 smallholders in aquaculture and fisheries witnessed improved productivity. The project also helped unlock more than USD 10.5 million in funding, which enabled FPCs to generate cumulative revenues that exceeded USD 19 million.

The Gates Foundation commissioned this project.