Category: Policy Brief

Strengthening the Hidden Middle: Policy Lessons from the Global Research on Midstream Transformation

The Hidden Middle-the segment of agrifood systems that connects farmers to consumers through aggregation,
storage, logistics, and processing-has long been overlooked in both research and policy. Yet this is where most
value addition, employment, and efficiency gains actually occur. When midstream actors function well, food
systems are more resilient, markets are more stable, and small producers gain predictable access to buyers and
inputs. When they do not, costs rise, losses increase, and opportunities for inclusive growth dissipate.

Strengthening the Hidden Middle: Institutional Action, Effectiveness, and What to Do Next

The midstream-the “hidden middle” between farm and fork-determines whether agrifood systems deliver
reliable, affordable, and safe food at scale. It encompasses the physical flow of goods (aggregation, storage, cold
chains, processing, packaging, transport), the market functions that assign value (price formation, quality
assurance, certification, wholesale), and the services that keep it all moving (finance, logistics management, ICT,
regulatory compliance). When midstream works, it creates value, reduces losses, broadens choice, and anchors
livelihoods in rural towns and secondary cities. When it fails, upstream productivity gains leak away and
downstream food-security goals become harder to achieve.
This brief reviews how actively and effectively 14 major institutions, with publicly available detailed information,
address midstream constraints. Using portfolios (9,571 agrifood projects), current strategy documents, and 3,501
knowledge outputs (publications), we build a composite picture of emphasis, spending, and operational depth.

Unlocking the Hidden Middle: Reclaiming the Role of Intermediaries in Agrifood Systems

This policy paper focuses on evidence-based interventions focused on hidden middle interventions that aim to
improve smallholder participation in agrifood markets, focusing on mechanisms that enhance income, reduce
losses, and support food security. The analysis covers post-harvest infrastructure interventions (storage, cold
chains, transport, and processing), market integration mechanisms (contract farming, commercialization
incentives, and producer clustering), and the role of intermediaries, wholesale systems, and food retail. It also
examines multi-stakeholder partnerships as cross-cutting enablers. Evidence on the midstream segment is scarce,
fragmented, and rarely disaggregated. Few interventions explicitly target midstream actors, and even fewer
provide clear insights into the effects of these actions in isolation from broader programs. Reviewed studies
suggest that isolated interventions often yield uneven or unsustainable results. Durable impact depends on
bundling services, addressing structural barriers, and embedding solutions in inclusive, locally grounded
governance arrangements.

Strengthening Producers for Agrifood Transformation: Evidence on Inputs, Irrigation, Organizations, and Innovation

This policy paper focuses on evidence-based interventions that strengthen agrifood systems by improving
productivity, resilience, and market participation among smallholder producers. The analysis covers inputs and
finance, irrigation infrastructure, midstream enablers (such as storage, processing, certifications, and producer
organizations), and cross-cutting R&D interventions (including training, information and ICT, and innovation
platforms). Evidence shows that individual interventions often have limited or short-lived effects when
implemented in isolation. Instead, sustained impact depends on bundling complementary services, tailoring
interventions to local contexts, and reinforcing delivery systems with inclusive, participatory institutions.

Missing Links: Addressing the Research Gap on the Hidden Middle in Agrifood Systems

This policy paper highlights the persistent evidence gap surrounding the “hidden middle”—the midstream and
downstream services that connect smallholders to markets. Despite their growing role in agrifood systems, these
segments remain largely overlooked in impact evaluations. As food systems evolve with urbanization and shifting
consumer demand, midstream and downstream actors—including, processors, aggregators, retailers, wholesalers,
and logistics providers—have become central to how food moves from farms to consumers (Reardon, 2015;
Barrett et al., 2022).

Incentives for diversified agriculture as a strategy for overcoming poverty in rural contexts

Since 2021, Rimisp has accompanied the indigenous civil association APROBA SANK, who have been working with Mayan Q’eqchi’ communities and authorities for over 20 years in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. SANK, in its mission to improve living conditions and achieve greater autonomy for local communities, has proposed the establishment of an Incentive Program for Diversified Peasant Production (PIN-Campesino).

CHILE: Electoral Balance of Rural Communes in the Municipal and Regional Government Elections 2024

This report presents a brief electoral balance of the 2024 elections in rural areas, considering only the results for the offices of mayors and GOREs. Unlike other Rimisp reports, on this occasion, a comparative analysis with previous processes is not carried out due to the fact that the recent elections present different characteristics (mandatory voting and a decrease in the percentage of the majority required to elect GOREs). The territorial focus of the study is on the commune as the unit of analysis, using the categorisation defined by the National Rural Development Policy (PNDR), namely: urban (82), rural (185) and mixed (78).