A typical smallholder family is composed of 07 people (03 females and 04 males; 03 children, 01 elderly, 01 youth and 02 adults). Only the adults work low-return jobs to provide for the family. Only 1/2 of the children are in school. The youth are mainly not employed, educated, or trained (NEET). Without the skills to compete in the local markets, these youth are engaged in vulnerable informal jobs, unable to provide for their needs or support their families.

The family primarily relies on rain-fed subsistence agriculture, which is characterised by indigenous technologies on small land sizes (1-2 acres). They mainly grow two to three low-value staple crops (e.g. cassava, beans, pigeon peas, simsim, soybeans, sunflower, groundnuts, cotton, coffee) with limited intensification (e.g., small livestock, perennial crops, fruits/trees). Hardly do they use climate-smart inputs and practices. Their yield gaps average 30 – 50% of potential yields from NARO. Yet post-harvest losses are also high, estimated at over 35% due to poor cleaning, drying and storage infrastructures.

Few (<25%) of such families have alternative income-generating activities. Agribusiness is also not in their DNA, even when all crops and livestock are now cash commodities. They hardly have access to government extension services, as one agricultural extension officer is expected to serve more than 10,000 households. Risks (financial, economic, social, climate, political, etc.) are too many for them to bear.

Finally, these families are also not organised in producer groups or cooperatives, which would allow them to produce together, benefit from bulk purchasing, adhere to market quality standards, and sell collectively at fair prices.