MEDA Publications

My farm, my business (PAVE FGD Report)

ADVANCE Myanamr factsheet (BPP)

Partnerships and Value Expansion for Inclusive Seed Systems in Pakistan (PAVE Pakistan)

Partnership Overview In Pakistan, 75 per cent of seed is uncertified and sold through informal channels. Most of this uncertified seed does not meet minimum criteria in terms of purity and quality standards, resulting in poor yields. Further, most seed in Pakistan is produced by large-scale, commercial farmers. This initiative will instead work with smallholder farmers, introducing them to seed growing techniques and helping them to become part of the seed supply chain (for rice, wheat and vegetable seed). The partnership will bring together Engro Corporation and Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), which have worked together previously on large-scale dairy development initiatives.

MEDA Market Systems Program Design Toolkit

Tagged in marketsystems

This toolkit is a reference for value chain development practitioners that want to design sustainable, effective development programs. Program design is fundamentally about making critical decisions, and thus this toolkit has been structured around the key choices involved in the design of a value chain development program.

MEDA Market Research for Value Chain Initiatives

Tagged in marketsystems

This toolkit is meant as a practical guide to conducting market research for value chain development programs. The toolkit focuses on the how-to of designing effective market research, choosing information collection tools, implementing those tools, and organizing the resulting information. It offers support to practitioners in the form of practical advice and worksheets that can be readily applied during market research.

Lead Firm vs Small Entrepreneur centric Value Chain Methods

Tagged in marketsystems, msawa, SSBVC

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has expressed interest in better understanding the ‘Lead Firm-centric Value Chain Development’ (“LF-VCD”) method as reflected in the approved Proposals and Project Implementation Plans (PIPs) for newly launched projects in Kenya and Tanzania and how this approach differs from the value chain development approach GAC is accustomed to seeing in the projects it funds, including others implemented by MEDA. This is referred to herein as the ‘Small Entrepreneur-centric Value Chain Development’ (“SE-VCD”) method. This paper first identifies how MEDA defines the term ‘Lead Firm’ and then describes the differences between these two methods and the reasoning for preferring, at times, to apply one rather than the other.

UHDP Most Significant Change Stories (Ukraine)

Tagged in Monitoring and Impact Measurement

The Ukraine Horticulture Development Project (UHDP) assists farmers to adopt modern technologies, increase productivity and deliver premium quality greenhouse crops, berries and table grapes to markets in which they have a competitive advantage.

In its final year of operation, UHDP has assisted over 6,587 direct farmers with more than 3,750 participating in six clustered geographic locations. The project uses market consolidation to encourage small farmers to work together to better reach valuable markets. In 2013, over 2,600 UHDP farmers generated 11 metric tons of greenhouse and horticulture crops worth $10.5 million, which they sold to national food retail chains and exported to Russia. About 40% of project clients are women. Agro Capital Management has conducted new farm equipment sales valued at $5 million sold to 737 small farmers, 36% of which are women.

EDGET Rice Productivity Gains Case Study

This report is one of two evaluative case studies focused on the EDGET Project,developed towards the end of the project to assess the changes and benefits of MEDA’s rice value chain interventions to learn from and strengthen them for future interventions. This report explores rice productivity gains made by the producer for better quality, increased yield, and efficient production.

EDGET Rice Parboiling Case Study

Tagged in Monitoring and Impact Measurement

This report is one of two evaluative case studies focused on the EDGET Project,developed towards the end of the project to assess the changes and benefits of MEDA’s rice value chain interventions to learn from and strengthen them for future interventions. This report explores rice parboiling technology used to leverage rice production and value addition, especially for women.

Growing Entrepreneurs: Ethiopian Stories of Change

Tagged in Monitoring and Impact Measurement

About EDGET

Ethiopians Driving Growth, Entrepreneurship and Trade (EDGET) is a five-year value chain development project funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The project aimed to increase incomes for 10,000 men and women farmers and textile producers by facilitating access to growing markets, enhancing production techniques and appropriate technologies, and improving input supplies and affordable support services, including finance.

EDGET, which means ‘progress’ in the Amharic language, has been concentrated on integrating smallholder rice farmers and small-scale artisans into higher value markets through increased market linkages and enhanced productivity. As a result of the project, Ethiopian rice and textile entrepreneurs are producing highquality products and reaching new and growing markets to drive growth and improve livelihoods.

Growing Entrepreneurs: Ethiopian Stories of Change

Each farmer, weaver and value chain actor that EDGET worked with and supported throughout the life of the project has a unique story of change and transformation. Throughout the project, a total of 75 stories were collected, of which 17 were tracked as long-term stories. This collection features both long-term and single stories, telling the story of EDGET through the lens of 12 individuals across the textile and rice value chains and different geographic locations. They shared what their lives were like before participating in EDGET, the kinds of changes they experienced during the project, and their plans to expand their businesses.

For optimal viewing, download the PDF and view on your desktop.

Malaria Control Through ITN Marketing – Uganda

This is the final report from MEDA Trade Co. (MTC) to DFATD in compliance with the revised deliverables for the project titled Malaria Control through ITN Marketing. This project seeks to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by Malaria in Uganda, especially among children and pregnant women, by assisting the local commercial sector there to promote the sale, distribution and use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs). The key objective of this project is: “To increase distribution of insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITNs) in Uganda by companies who are members of the ITN Business Association and their local affiliates to 500,000 nets over the period of eighteen to 24 months.” The market for ITNs in Uganda has evolved quite dramatically since we started this project in July of 2000. New brands exist, more businesses are involved and donors such as USAID (NetMark) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) have expanded funding commitments for Malaria control, including ITN programs. However, this DFATD project was launched at a critical time in the market development lifecycle for ITNs in Uganda. It was the first program there to work with the commercial sector and some of these distributors credit the program with impact that far exceeds that of many other, far more expensive projects.

Rendre les subventions ciblées rapides et flexibles - Le coupon électronique du TNVS

Fin 2011, le Tanzania National Voucher Scheme (TNVS) a testé un système de coupon électronique destiné à compléter le coupon papier lancé en 2004. La présente étude de cas comprend un examen des bénéfices retirés et des difficultés rencontrées, des observations, ainsi que des enseignements essentiels tirés de cette expérience.

Cette étude de cas contient une description de la première année de mise en pratique du coupon électronique et porte plus particulièrement sur :

• Le contexte dans lequel le projet pilote a été mis en oeuvre
• La logique de son introduction
• Le fonctionnement du coupon électronique dans la pratique
• L’architecture du système de coupon électronique et les coûts de développement, en bref
• Le point de vue des partenaires
• La comparaison avec d’autres stratégies de maintien de la couverture universelle, avec des économies de 7,5 % ou plus par rapport au coupon papier classique
• La reproduction du projet pilote de coupon électronique

Making Targeted Subsidies Fast and Flexible - The TNVS eVoucher

The Tanzania National Voucher Scheme piloted an electronic voucher mechanism (eVoucher) in late
2011 to complement the paper voucher operating since 2004. This case study looks at the benefits and challenges experienced, observations, and key lessons learned

This case study describes the eVoucher’s first year of operations, including:

• Background on the pilot’s context
• The rationale for its introduction
• How the eVoucher works in practice
• The eVoucher systems architecture and development cost in brief
• Stakeholder perspectives
• Comparison to other keep-up strategies--achieving savings of 7.5% or more against traditional paper vouchers
• Replicating an eVoucher pilot

Economic Support and Income Generation for HIV AIDS Impacted Communities

This progress note is a synthesis of an on-line discussion held in April 2006, hosted by the SEEP Network’s Market Development Working Group. The on-line discussion, “Economic Support and Income-Generating Programming for HIV and AIDS–Impacted Communities,” which followed a 2004 exploratory discussion, invited broader participation from the economic development and HIV and AIDS communities of practice. Although the 64 registrants for the discussion indicated strong interest in the topic, the participation of relatively few is interpreted to reflect the limited experience in economic and income-generating programming for HIV and AIDS–impacted communities. The significant challenges discussed ranged from how to address skills loss to how community-based organizations and self-help groups can link with broader economic development initiatives, and from how to deal with the threat of violence against HIV and AIDS–support programs to how to raise funding for economic support programs in HIV/AIDS–affected communities.

Ghana Yam Market, Subsector and Value Chain Assessment

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (the Foundation) engaged Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) to conduct a tailored value chain assessment of Ghana's yam sector. This study was carried out in March 2011 with the much appreciated assistance of UKbased Natural Resources Institute (NRI) and the Crops Research Institute (CRI) based in Kumasi, Ghana. The methodology consisted of mainly qualitative key informant interviewing of yam farmers, traders and experts, review of available quantitative descriptive data and triangulation of various observations and insights across multiple sources to establish a reasonable degree of confidence in these and the findings stemming therefrom. This included a stakeholder's validation workshop held on 24th March and attended by 29 individuals representing yam farmers, traders and wholesalers and other experts knowledgeable of the yam sector. The findings reflected in this report have been utilized to strengthen the methodology and precision of a yam sector development proposal by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture under funding consideration by the Foundation.

MEDA wishes to express its appreciation to the Foundation for the opportunity to provide the assistance reflected in this report and, as well, to Professor Ulrich Kleih, Marketing Economist, Food and Markets Department at NRI and to Dr. Emmanuel Otoo, Yam Breeder and Head of the Yam Programme at CRI for their respective expert subject contributions, insights and sheer hard work in assisting MEDA to carry out this assignment.

Catalysts of Agricultural Supply Markets Case for Smart Subsidies in Zambia

Alexandra Snelgrove and Lemmy Manje. (June 2009) Enterprise Development and Microfinance Journal. Volume 20 Number 2.

The decision to purchase new productive technologies, however promising, presents great risks for the rural poor. Saving even relatively small sums involves difficult choices and sacrifice. The result is that farmers are disinclined to purchase new technologies and manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers are unwilling to invest in inventory and supply. This predictable cycle is one of the greatest challenges for developing sustainable markets. In response, NGOs often try to ensure equitable access for rural farmers through free distribution of pumps, seeds, or other technologies. To break this chain, smart subsidies can be used to accelerate demand and supply for critical production technologies. Properly administered incentives can attract commercial suppliers to actively address the needs of rural, underserved smallholder farmers without creating dependency. This paper presents the case of smallholder farmers in Zambia to highlight how incentives can play a role in developing weak agribusiness service markets.