Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for - Aseanipm ...

Section 8 • Organic Vegetable Product Certification Process and Marketing Strategies
Exercise No. 8.07
PROPER USE OF MARkET INFORMATION FOR PROFITABLE
GROWING OF ORGANIC VEGETABLE CROPS 288
BaCKGroUND aND raTIoNalE
Marketing managers often fail to take full advantage of all
available information to help them make effective decisions.
While time and cost factors usually prevent one from obtaining
perfect information, there is often much more information already
published and readily available than managers actually use. On the other hand, others tend to be
survey researchers, who feel they must always rush out to gather primary data whenever some
problem arises. They tend to overlook large amount of secondary data that are already in their
internal records or in various published sources. These data are often available for free, or for a fee
that is usually far less than cost of obtaining primary data 289 .
In FFS, innovative experiences in obtaining information for marketing of organic vegetable products
must be shared among farmers to further improve their current system of accessing and using market
information. The foregoing exercise was specifically designed to achieve this purpose.
How long will this exercise take?
• Two hours for field visit to some market intermediaries (e.g., households, neighbors, village
collectors, traders, wholesalers, etc.) involved in organic vegetable selling operations where use
of market information can be readily observed (optional for FFS);
• Thirty minutes for mini-workshop in small groups; and
• At least one hour for participatory discussion big group.
learning objectives
• To discuss participants’ problems, issues, and concerns in accessing and using market
information for organic vegetable products in local communities and how these are addressed;
and
• To develop market information strategies for improving marketing of organic vegetable
products in local communities to increase farmers’ income.
288 Smolders, H. and Caballeda, E. 2006. Field Guide for Participatory Plant Breeding in FFS: With Emphasis on Rice and Vegetables. Participatory
Enhancement of Diversity of Genetic Resources in Asia (PEDIGREA) Publication. Center for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands. pp. 122.
289 McCarthy, E.J. and Perreault, Jr., W.D. 1987. Learning Aid for Use With Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach. 9 th Edition. Richard D. Irwin, Inc.,
Homewood, Illinois 60430, USA. pp. 1-15 to 1-20.
425
when is this exercise
most appropriate?
ɶ In FFS, TOT, and
VST sessions, after
discussions of the
topic ‘Post-harvest
Handling and
Primary Processing
of Vegetables’.