SELECTING SUITABLE LOCATIONS

There is usually a choice of possible locations for sourcing raw materials, whether through smallholder or large-scale production. The following locational characteristics are needed for ensuring sustainable smallholder production:

• sufficient suitable land and water in the area as a whole for growing the amount of crop required, without squeezing out other essential uses of these resources;
• enough individual smallholders who are interested in growing the crop, and have sufficient land and other resources to produce the amount required on top of their other economic activities;
• easy access for servicing and collecting the farmers' production, even in the rainy season.