Rather than treating finance as a standalone problem, the article shows how financial constraints are deeply linked to operational readiness, quality systems, and transparency. Exporters that lack clean financial reporting, certified processes, and predictable cash flows are perceived as high-risk — even when their products are competitive and demand is secure. The article then moves from diagnosis to solutions. It outlines what is already working, including blended finance structures, credit guarantees, export credit agency support, receivables financing, fintech platforms, and buyer offtake agreements. It also provides practical, exporter-focused guidance on pricing hidden costs correctly, managing risk, improving lender readiness, and structuring investments in stages rather than all at once.

Smallholder farmers, those with often less than 2 hectares, dominate food production in developing countries. Farms under 5 ha in Asia, Africa and Latin America account for over half of global output of staples like maize, rice, millet and wheat. Small farms also tend to use more labor and devote most land to food crops, making them highly productive per hectare. As Zero Carbon Analytics summarizes: “Farms of less than five hectares in developing countries account for more than half of global production of nine staple crops” including maize, rice and sorghum. Embedding these farmers in modern value chains is therefore critical for food security and rural incomes.