While I agree, with you to some extent- Co-operatives will be in a better position to play the roles you have mentioned and beyond such as sourcing exports markets, bulk sourcing of inputs benefiting farmers, value addition, knowledge dissemination e.t.c.. The difference comes from the intention s; middlemen is to make as much money as they can, while cooperatives are farmer driven.Not all middlemen (or intermediaries ) are bad....imagine some body who is ready to organise a market, Transport and sometimes storage and God Willing ..still pay us....its better than watching the whole harvest go to waste.....even the kids though quiet ...will be looking at you like " kwaani hauku kuwa na plan na hizi vitu?"
Maybe we should characterize this middle men.....While I agree, with you to some extent- Co-operatives will be in a better position to play the roles you have mentioned and beyond such as sourcing exports markets, bulk sourcing of inputs benefiting farmers, value addition, knowledge dissemination e.t.c.. The difference comes from the intention s; middlemen is to make as much money as they can, while cooperatives are farmer driven.
The very term "middlemen" doesn't sit pretty with me. It denotes exploitation to say the least. These people thrive because of a laxity in the regulatory regime when it comes marketing in the agriculture sector. They maybe the necessary evil to farmers who are hard pressed to find markets for their produce but that shouldn't mean we celebrate them.Agriculture supply chain is one that has been dominated by middlemen sitting between farmers and consumers(buyers). They have earned significant power such that they affect the price paid to the farmer and the one paid by the final consumer. Their power mostly comes from that they are better informed about market conditions. On the other hand they provide quick transactions with the farmers and they bare the transport cost. What is your experience with middlemen as a farmer ?