To fulfill its mission, the Tropical Fruits Program must achieve equitable distribution of benefits along the production chain. For a given final product, project design can greatly influence the distribution of benefits. With its long experience in integrated cassava production, processing, and marketing, CIAT's Rural Agroenterprise Development Project (RAD) will collaborate with the Fruits Program to design and implement projects specifically aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of benefits.

The Tropical Fruits Program's focus is to provide farmers, farmer groups, and diverse development agencies with information that will broaden the scope of options and link the rural community with modern markets. In contrast, RAD specializes in finding groups interested in linking themselves with the market economy and helping them to identify and analyze different business options, one of the best of which comprises tropical fruits.

Within the context of rural development, RAD obviously plays a higher hierarchical role than does Tropical Fruits by identifying groups interested in establishing agribusinesses. Should fruits be seen as a promising option, then the Tropical Fruits Program comes in to provide support. Thus, RAD takes leadership in identifying and promoting projects that link rural populations with modern markets.

At the same time, an exciting aspect for the future development of rural agroenterprises is the possibility of matching different tropical fruit species and products to different environmental conditions. It becomes possible to select a population or region for rural business development, then select an appropriate fruit or fruit product for their specific conditions.