Blog

Why Market Development Matters More Than Ever in Agri-Food Trade

At Emerging, we mainly work on agriculture, food, nutrition, sustainability and health. These sectors are deeply interconnected, and one of the most essential yet often overlooked links is getting food from producers into the hands of people around the world.

Take our work with the Prairie Oat Growers Association in Canada, for example. Canada is the world’s largest exporter of oats – responsible for around 70% of globally traded oats. That’s a remarkable statistic, but in today’s rapidly shifting trade environment, it’s not enough to simply produce. Canada needs diverse and stable markets to ensure long-term security for its farmers and reliability for consumers worldwide.

That’s why we support efforts to open and strengthen new markets in places like Mexico, Japan, Peru, Chile, and Ecuador. Whether we’re navigating trade policy or promoting nutritional benefits, these efforts help ensure that producers have reliable partners, and that markets can withstand shocks like tariffs, supply chain disruptions, or geopolitical tensions.

Our work also extends to innovative sectors like industrial hemp. We partnered with the National Hemp Association (NHA), on a project funded by USDA, to expand the sustainable cultivation, harvesting, processing, and utilization of industrial hemp in a number of countries in Africa. Industrial hemp is a versatile crop with potential use for a wide range of products, from food and textiles to biofuels and construction materials.

In many ways, market development is the basis of resilience in today’s agri-food systems. It builds the systems and partnerships that help food move efficiently, equitably, and sustainably across borders.

Market Development

Robynne Anderson

Robynne has extensive experience in the agriculture and food sector, working throughout the value chain – from basic inputs to farmers in the field to the grocery store shelf. She works internationally in the sector, including speaking at the United Nations on agriculture and food issues, and representing the International Agri-Food Network at the UN.Throughout her career she has worked with farm organisations like the Prairie Oat Growers Association, the National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi and the Himalayan Farmers Association, as well as global groups, to further the voice of agriculture in the food debate. She has also worked with Fortune 500 companies growing worldwide businesses to assist them with issues management and strategy decisions.

Related Posts

Back To Top