Value chains are a key framework for understanding how products move from the producers to the customers. The value chain perspective provides an important means to understand the business to business relationships, mechanisms for increasing efficiency, and ways to enable businesses to increase productivity and add value. It provides a reference point for improvements in services and the business environment. It is a vehicle for pro-poor initiatives and for linking small businesses with the market. Value chains therefore reside at the core of high-impact and sustainable initiatives focused on improving productivity, competitiveness, entrepreneurship, and SME growth.

This one week course will provide hands-on training in Agriculture value chains and the application of Knowledge to decision making in AVC processes planning and Management to value chain participants and practitioners.

The workshop offers intensive training that will cover the fundamental concepts and tools for scanning and improving AVC. By attending this course, the capacity of Development professionals who are actively engaged in the AVC related support activities in governmental and non-governmental organizations will be built/ enhanced

Who should attend?

This course is intended for various actors in the Agriculture value chain working with communities, in governments, funding agencies, Research organizations and non-government organizations among others for AVC support activities and other Development programmes.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, learners will be able to:

• Understanding concept of Value chains in particular Agriculture Value chains
• Understand the structure of various Agriculture based value chains and the Various tools in developing an Agriculture value chain
• Appreciate the need to work with value chains
• Gain insights into the respective actor roles in the value chains
• Approaches to setting up Agriculture value chains
• Value chain financing
• Participants apply the newly enhanced understandings to improve and promote value chain development in the agricultural sectors of their bases and analyze the success of this aforementioned development.

Outline of topics to be covered in the program:

• Understanding concept of Value chains in particular Agriculture Value chains
• Understand the structure of various Agriculture based value chains and the Various tools in developing an Agriculture value chain
• Appreciate the need to work with value chains
• Gain insights into the respective actor roles in the value chains
• Approaches to setting up Agriculture value chains
• Value chain financing
• Multi-stakeholder processes in AVCs
• Effective public policy management in AVCs
• Group strengthening
• Strengthening value chain service providers
• AVC’s Market intelligence
•  Inclusive market systems development
• Analyzing  the structure and dynamics of value chains
• Developing value chain strategies to overcome constraints and increase competitiveness
• Increasing the inclusiveness of market systems-Approaches
• Catalyzing  private sector stakeholders to collaborate and improve industry performance
• Get basic knowledge of analyzing qualitative data for humanitarian, emergency  and development  sector programmes related to AVC
• Use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and GPS to gather data, collaborate and share information.
• Communicate findings to stimulate learning and reflection.

Methodology

The instructor led trainings are delivered using a blended learning approach and comprises of presentations, guided sessions of practical exercise, web based tutorials and group work. Our facilitators are seasoned industry experts with years of experience, working as professional and trainers in these fields.

All facilitation and course materials will be offered in English. The participants should be reasonably proficient in English.

Accreditation

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with an Indepth Research Services (IRES) certificate.