Credit constraint is considered by many as one of the key barriers to adoption of modern agricultural technologies, such as chemical fertilizer, improved seeds, and irrigation technologies, among smallholders.

Despite progresses over the last few decades, undernutrition is widespread across Africa south of the Sahara. While agricultural interventions have traditionally focused on enhancing yields of few staple crops, there is increased interest on the role of production diversity in enhancing the dietary quality of subsistence farm households.