Nairobi, Feb. 17 -- Meaningfully increasing rural incomes means, at least in part, commercialisation of small holder agriculture. Value addition of agricultural produce, tourism and the digital economy, offer other pathways to higher incomes in rural areas. And, there is no shortage of efforts by governments and non-state actors promoting one model or another for that purpose.

Models focus on changing subsistence farming into market-oriented agribusiness, enhancing farm and farmer productivity through technology, and strengthening supply chains.

These models include farmer service centres, local advisors (extension officers), co-operative aggregation, and digitalised value chains. Their purpose is to boost income by improving access to ...