Lesson Learned

Don’t expect smallholder farmers to provide “patient capital” to agro-processing ventures: The farmer members of the cooperatives were largely unable and unwilling to sell their olives to (Groupements d’Intérêt Economique, or GIEs).

• Morocco Compact
• Fruit Tree Productivity
• Agriculture and Irrigation

Don’t expect smallholder farmers to provide “patient capital” to agro-processing ventures: The farmer members of the cooperatives were largely unable and unwilling to sell their olives to (Groupements d’Intérêt Economique, or GIEs). Primarily, this was because the GIEs did not have working capital to pay for olives until olive oil was produced and sold, in some cases many months after farmers delivered their olives.