The studies presented in this conference relate to three broad sets of issues:

• Consumption diversification - The key questions here is how have the consumption patterns in India changed over the last two decades or so? How consumption patterns in favor of high-value and processed products are changing across regions and across income groups? What factors are driving these changes? Against this past performance, what are the forecasts for the level and patterns of demand for different high-value and processed agricultural products by 2015, 2020 and 2025?
• Production diversification - The questions here are: How is the production portfolio transforming on Indian farms and what are the main driving forces behind this change? How far is it in response to the changing consumption patterns? Are small holders also switching to high-value agriculture in response to the demand? How are the production patterns changing in the peri-urban areas, as major urban cities are often the centres of high income groups and fast changing consumption patterns? Also it would be important to assess the role of infrastructure (like highways, market access, telecommunication, etc.) in promoting high-value agriculture.
• The vertical linkages between the firm and the farm - The key questions here are: what sort of vertical coordination is developing between the farmers, processors, financers and retail distribution networks for high-value agri-commodities like fruits and vegetables, milk, poultry, fishery, etc? Is there a systematic bias against the small holder in participating in these vertical linkages? How super markets and retail food chains are evolving and integrating production and consumption? How these will affect small venders? How food safety issues are addressed at production, processing and marketing of agricultural commodities?

The studies presented at the workshop respond to the above three issues, with an overarching goal of how this could help design policies that integrate small holders with the markets and alleviate poverty in the rural areas.