Understanding markets and value chains Group 3 working group

Purpose / objective Enhancing the performance of intermediate organisations to facilitate the marketing needs of farmer association Enhancing the performance of intermediate organisations to facilitate the marketing needs of farmer association Facilitations of a competitive grant funding mechanism to support action research experimentation and validation Facilitations of a competitive grant funding mechanism to support action research experimentation and validation

Global linkages Language English with double files in regional languages Language English with double files in regional languages Links to regional networks and partners Links to regional networks and partners Links to policy and capacity building / action research components. Links to policy and capacity building / action research components.

Linkages to Networks GPP facilitation function WANAFARAAsia/PacificLatin America SRO’s N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N

Components Global will mean working at levels above farmers, but providing services that meet their needs Global will mean working at levels above farmers, but providing services that meet their needs Support via a “information platform” Support via a “information platform” Will involve an “expert network” Will involve an “expert network” Supporting both formalising and informal markets Supporting both formalising and informal markets Pro-active information sharing Pro-active information sharing “Guide” to support marketing interventions that support the needs of smallholder farmers in developing countries. “Guide” to support marketing interventions that support the needs of smallholder farmers in developing countries. Competitive grants fund for value chain testing Competitive grants fund for value chain testing

Market Types Growth markets Growth markets New markets, domestic markets New markets, domestic markets Informal markets Informal markets Dysfunctional markets Dysfunctional markets Markets associated with natural disaster, conflict, post conflict, distorted policy, cartels and collusion Markets associated with natural disaster, conflict, post conflict, distorted policy, cartels and collusion

Client types Agro-industrial / enterprise consultants Agro-industrial / enterprise consultants Agribusiness researchers Agribusiness researchers NGO’s / CSO’s NGO’s / CSO’s Extension (public / private) Extension (public / private) Farmers associations Farmers associations Private sector Private sector Policy makers Policy makers

Information provision Results from conceptual research Results from conceptual research Case Studies Case Studies Best practices Best practices Expert / partner databases Expert / partner databases Provides forum for e-debates Provides forum for e-debates Skills learning options via ebay Skills learning options via ebay

Services Dating service (bringing partners together via , VOIP, SMS, Chat rooms Dating service (bringing partners together via , VOIP, SMS, Chat rooms Moderated e-debates Moderated e-debates Websites (wiki – global ownership) Websites (wiki – global ownership) Q&A services Q&A services Global services v regional services Global services v regional services Client lists, partner lists Client lists, partner lists Guide to marketing information Guide to marketing information

Source of marketing support Lists of service providers Lists of service providers Accreditation of service providers Accreditation of service providers Basic information on Basic information on Generic contract formats Generic contract formats Profitability software Profitability software Generic business plan outlines Generic business plan outlines

Strategic partners Global players (IFAP, farmer associations, Private Sector consortia, International CSO’s, ILO, SEEP, etc…. Global players (IFAP, farmer associations, Private Sector consortia, International CSO’s, ILO, SEEP, etc…. Banks, Micro-finance Institutions, savings led financial service providers Banks, Micro-finance Institutions, savings led financial service providers CGIAR CGIAR CTA, Bilateral agencies, such as GTZ, CIRAD, ACIAR, NRI, CTA, Bilateral agencies, such as GTZ, CIRAD, ACIAR, NRI, Universities and centres of excellence Universities and centres of excellence

Roles Actively engaging service providers and farmer associations and private sector partners Actively engaging service providers and farmer associations and private sector partners Raising profiles of key issues that support or prevent market access for smallholder farmers Raising profiles of key issues that support or prevent market access for smallholder farmers Fund raising Fund raising Facilitating competitive grant funds Facilitating competitive grant funds

Challenges Is it necessary? Is it necessary? Will information be accessible to those who really need it? Will information be accessible to those who really need it? Will it be simple enough? Will it be simple enough? Sufficiently attractive? Sufficiently attractive? Can such a portal compete with existing information sources Can such a portal compete with existing information sources Will it attract information providers? Will it attract information providers? Will it be sustainable? Will it be sustainable?

Implementation of a Marketing Guide for smallholder producers Survey of client needs (including consumers) Survey of client needs (including consumers) Evaluation of key topics to support Evaluation of key topics to support Review of technology options Review of technology options Find best ways to engage partners Find best ways to engage partners Build the information platform Build the information platform Engage partners Engage partners Use wiki technologies to increase ownership Use wiki technologies to increase ownership

Competitive Grants funds for Value chain interventions Defined competitive grants funds Defined competitive grants funds Selection of ideas for CF based on outcomes from e-debate Selection of ideas for CF based on outcomes from e-debate Cross site learning, facilitation and knowledge sharing Cross site learning, facilitation and knowledge sharing Lessons learnt Lessons learnt Secondary best practices Secondary best practices

Expected outputs Performance indicators of intermediate organisations and clients Performance indicators of intermediate organisations and clients Levels of engagement and use of information resource Levels of engagement and use of information resource

Links to other components Policies and institutional arrangements Capacity Building Understanding Markets and Competitive Grants fund