Regional Markets

4 Opportunities for development
Figure 4.2 Gender
Cotton ZIM
ZIM banana
TAHA
C:AVA
FoSHoL
NGOMA
Senegal
LOW
HIGH
RUDI
Coffee TZ
FT
Fig 4.2 depicts the extent to which the projects applied a gender-sensitive approach.
Food security
In this section we will assess the extent to which food security—the availability and
accessibility of food markets for local, poor producers and consumers and the degree
to which they have control over the process of distribution and access—guides value
chain development in regional markets. Food security can be examined at different
levels, from individual households to the country as a whole. Most cases discussed
food security primarily at household or local level, and rarely touched on food security
at country level.
The case studies can be placed in two broad categories, according to type of crop, i.e.
food crops or non-food crops. The cases that focus on food crops for cash are mainly
concerned with improving smallholder production and usually do not mention food
security as a primary objective. Increased food security is achieved indirectly through
increased household income or additional consumption of food crops that can also be
marketed. The Senegal groundnuts case and the Malawi C:AVA case are prominent
examples of improving food security through increased incomes. C:AVA assumes that
new, sustainable market-led livelihood opportunities will be created when large enterprises
start using High Quality Cassava Flour and large numbers of small-scale farmers
work to supply this new demand. In Senegal, increased production of groundnuts will
also have a direct positive impact on household food security, because groundnuts (in
the form of oil, paste and flour) are an important component of daily consumption for
rural households. However, the main focus is on increasing groundnuts sales, and meeting
dietary needs with this additional income.
As its name implies, food security is central for the FoSHoL project (Food Security
for Sustainable Livelihoods). Foshol is also the Bengali word for crop. Food security is
achieved through improved production and local marketing prospects. Indeed, most
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