Market Development: A Workshop Model (969KB) - VSO

Foreword<strong>VSO</strong> has been working in the area of market development since 2006, when our first pilotprogramme began in Zanzibar. Through a process of research, learning and consultation withprogramme staff, partner organisations and volunteers, <strong>VSO</strong> has since rolled out our approachto increasing market access for poor and marginalised women, men and youth in over 15 <strong>VSO</strong>country programmes worldwide. 1Our experience has demonstrated the value of introducing a market focus into rural enterprisedevelopment programmes and the importance of building understanding of whole marketchains and developing co-operation within the chain in order to achieve better outcomes fordisadvantaged women, men and young people. The pilot project on Zanzibar – where women arerearing mud crabs to sell to lucrative tourist markets (see case study on the following page) – hasprovided inspiration to many within the <strong>VSO</strong> family and beyond. Shifting the orientation of oursupport to rural agricultural producers towards a market focus has required us to develop newskills in research and facilitation as well as awareness of our own roles, as <strong>VSO</strong> staff, volunteersor partner organisations, within markets. Above all, our experience has shown us the need tocontinue to build our understanding of what working in market chains involves.Although there are many resources on market and value chain development available, we foundwe needed more practical training tools to bring our approach to life for people working incommunities and to build the skills to adopt new ways of working. Our aim therefore has beento produce a step-by-step manual introducing the key concepts and practical skills needed tointroduce market-orientated approaches to rural enterprise development projects.We are grateful to other organisations working in this area who have shared their experiencesand expertise and whose resources we have drawn upon (see references section for details).We have trialled the workshop design in three training events in Africa and Asia. We would liketo thank <strong>VSO</strong> programme staff, volunteers and representatives of partner organisations forfacilitating these events and their active participation during them.We have endeavoured to make it as easy as possible for you to use these tools with yourcolleagues in your local context by adopting an action learning approach based on real marketsthat you want to find out more about.The hard work of compiling the materials and developing the manual has been carried out byAlan Webb, CUSO–<strong>VSO</strong> Training and <strong>Development</strong> Advisor, and Paul Wooster, Rural <strong>Development</strong>Consultant (and former <strong>VSO</strong> Programme <strong>Development</strong> Advisor – Secure Livelihoods), supportedby Hannah Davis, Secure Livelihoods Project Co-ordinator.Throughout this process, we have learnt through experience, so we would welcome any feedbackfrom you as users of this manual. You can communicate this to us either through your local <strong>VSO</strong>Programme Manager or directly using the contact details on the inside cover.Louise DavisProgramme <strong>Development</strong> Advisor – Secure Livelihoods<strong>VSO</strong> InternationalLouise.Davis@vso.org.uk1An overview of <strong>VSO</strong>’s approach to market development is available in the position paper, <strong>VSO</strong> &Secure Livelihoods 2008-2013, which is included on the CD that accompanies this manual.5