VOA常速英语:Collaborative Business Deals Can Help African Farmers

短语讲解：

1. Development specialists say agricultural investments can be structured in ways that do not involve buying land – for instance, getting companies to collaborate with small-holder farmers.

collaborate with合作,与敌人合作,通敌
例句：The main aim now is to find a company to collaborate with.
现在的主要目标是找到一家公司合作。

2. But he says there is no evidence to back up these perceptions.

back up支持，证实；增援，后援
例句：He backed up his arguments with facts.
他以事实支持自己的论点。

3. According to Cotula, where outside investment is necessary to sustain agriculture, there are various models for collaboration between local farmers and investors, depending on the history, culture, and traditions of land ownership of the area.

depend on取决于
例句：Whether the game will be played depends on the weather.
比赛是否举行要看天气而定。

4. Cotula says contract farming accounts for up to 60% of tea and sugar farming in Kenya and 100% of cotton farming in Mozambique.

account for占有，占...百分比
例句：APEC members account for more than half of the world's economic output.
亚太经合组织成员的经济总量在世界占一半以上。

5. Cotula says an equity stake in the business can give communities a voice in decision making and a steady income in the form of dividends.

in the form of用…的形式
例句：Water vapor is water in the form of a gas.
水蒸气是气态的水。

6. On the other hand, he says, dividends may not materialize because of practices by the companies linked to the agribusiness.

link to与…连接; 联系
例句：Fingerprints linked the suspect to the crime.
指纹使嫌疑犯与犯罪联系起来。

7. As a solution, contracts may require sales to affiliates take place at fair market prices.

take place发生; 举行
例句：The threatening strike did not take place after all.
可能来临的罢工终究没有发生。