Growing the Wealth of the Poor - World Resources Institute

CONNECTIONW O R L D R E S O U R C E S 2 0 0 8In the 1980s, Petrolina-Juazeiro emerged as a leading melonregion, producing year-round fruit for export to Europeanmarkets. As word of the lucrative business spread, new growersemerged, many of which had little experience. Product qualityfell and the region’s reputation was tarnished, lowering melonprices (Locke 2002:24).As a result, four of the area’s largest producers formedValexport. Within a few months 43 additional members hadjoined, and today Valexport’s members include over 200 localproducers of different sizes. The association has set region-widequality standards and routinely collects data on quality controlamong its members to enforce its standards (Locke 2002:24).TABLE 2.3ECOSYSTEM-BASED ENTERPRISE ASSOCIATIONS AROUND THE WORLDASSOCIATIONLOCALEYEAR EST.MEMBERSWORKSELECT ACCOMPLISHMENTSKLONGNARAI WOMEN’SGROUPSource: Kruijsse and Somsri 2006Chanthaburi,Thailand198340 womenWomen’s cooperative cultivates,harvests, processes into variousfood products, and marketsshoots and berries from the localcowa tree.Women own shares of cooperative,which has attained a profitmargin of 18 percent. Membersget credit through the cooperativeand use cooperative equipment toincrease efficiency.LAGOS STATE FISHFARMERS’ ASSOCIATIONSource: Basorun and Olakulehin 2007Lagos, Nigeria20042,100 fishfarmersAssociation provides marketingstrategies and technologicalinformation, and also purchasesinputs in bulk.Fish production doubled from2005 to 2007. Fish productioncycle reduced from 8 monthsto 5 months.FARMER FIELDSCHOOL (FFS) NETWORKSSource: Braun et al. 2007Kenya, Uganda,Tanzania200050,000farmersNetworks coordinate farmerexchanges, help farmerspurchase agricultural inputsin bulk, arrange for managerialskills training, and helpcoordinate product processingand marketing.Kenya’s Kakamega Districtnetwork, one of 2,000 FFSnetworks in East Africa, helpedfarmers process and add valueto sweet potatoes, resultingin higher market prices fortheir produce.ASSOCIATION OF PALQUIPRODUCERS (APROPALQUI)Source: UNDP Energy and EnvironmentGroup 2006:4-6Potos, Bolivia200331 familiesAssociation manages,processes, and conducts marketingworkshops to sustainablyuse native palqui plants for foodand medicinals.In 2004, each family receivedUS$16 profit from their combined812 kg of processed palqui.NAM HA ECOGUIDE SERVICESource: UNDP 2006aLuan Namtha,Lao PDR2001100 workersAssociation trains local villagersas ecoguides, lodge operators,and biodiversity monitors sothey can manage ecotourismbusinesses in and around LaoPDR’s protected areas.From 2001 to 2006, NamHa–trained guides earnedUS$116,603 from 7,700 tourists,and $11,400 more went to villagedevelopment funds to constructlocal infrastructure.WOMEN’S NETWORK OFMEDICINAL AND AROMATICPLANT PRODUCERS ANDRETAILERS (RMPCPMA)Choco, Colombia199685 womenWomen’s network cultivates,processes, brands, and marketsmedicinal and herbal plants.Family incomes have increased25 percent. Indirectly createsjobs for 385 people in small,mining-dominated community.Source: UNDP Energy and EnvironmentGroup 2006:29-31SOLOLA ASSOCIATIONOF ORGANIC PRODUCERS(APOCS)Source: UNDP Energy and EnvironmentGroup 2006:52-54Rio Abajo,Guatemala2000700 farmersAssociation links communityorganizations for watershedplanning, coffee processing,and organic certification offarm products.Members receive 40 percentmore for their organic productsthan traditional farmers. Someproducts sold in the UnitedStates and Europe.104