Description

Sustainable development of the agricultural sector is recognized as an important factor in the economic growth of most countries, especially in low- and middle-income countries and countries in the Global South. Furthermore, agriculture plays a key role in many Sustainable Development Goals. This recognition has led to a growing interest among governments, development agencies and large privat firms to support business development and integration of farmers in markets and value chains. As a consequence of the globalization and internationalization of markets, agricultural value chains are becoming ever more global and complex. Local farmers and agribusinesses are offered new opportunities by this globalization, increased urbanization and the sharp increase in responsible sourcing programs of private firms. However, participating in local, national and global markets is not without challenges, as farmers are often faced with many institutional and economic barriers and lack access to inputs, information and capacity building.

Professionals working in the agricultural sector need to understand the inherent complexity of agriculture-based value chains and the dynamic interactions among different types of actors. In this course we aim to provide the participants with knowledge, skills and competences to analyse local and global agricultural value chains originating in the Global South. The course will address the following main topics:

• The role of the agricultural sector in developing economies
• Different value chain analysis approaches for value chain development and research
• Value chain trade-related issues such as value addition, value distribution, transaction cost, and innovation and upgrading
• Value chain management-related issues such as chain governance, institutional setting and enabling environment, and the roles of civil society, the private sector and the State
• Value chain interventions from different actors including NGOs, businesses, international traders, wholesalers and retailers 
• Poverty aspects and smallholders’ access to markets, including farmer cooperatives, partnerships, and outgrower schemes
• Sustainability in agricultural value chains: standards and certification
• Gender equality and equity and environmental issues in agriculture and agribusiness development
• Value-chain research methodology

 

By focusing on agricultural value chain analysis, the course will target students that want to obtain an understanding of the mechanisms that govern farmers and agribusinesses in the Global South. The analytical steps include mapping and characterizing agricultural-based value chains, and addressing barriers to entry, value added and distribution, upgrading opportunities, chain governance, critical factors in the enabling environment, and environmental and poverty aspects. The course will be useful for professionals working in international agricultural development organizations, agribusiness research, donor organizations, public agencies, national extension services, agribusiness development services, and private agribusiness enterprises.

After completing the course, the students should be able to:

Knowledge:

• Understand broadly the importance of agriculture in the economies of low- and middle-income countries
• Describe and define agricultural value chain related terminology and concepts
• Refer to the theoretical streams of value chain literature
• Understand the main value chain analysis approaches and their application
• Understand the complexity of institutional and governance dynamics of the agricultural sector in developing countries

 

Skills:

• Collect and process relevant information for value chain analysis
• Reason about the institutional dynamics in the agricultural and agribusiness sector
• Discuss pathways and tools for upgrading and developing agricultural value chains and value chain operators
• Discuss the feasibility of interventions for upgrading and developing agricultural value chains
• Communicate ideas for agricultural value chain development in developing countries to stakeholders
• Develop an analytical framework to guide data collection and analysis
• Learn in an interactive and collegial learning environment

 

Competencies:

• Apply relevant theories/concepts to analyse institutions, the enabling environment and agribusinesses in relation to agricultural value chains
• Apply value chain analysis approaches to design value chain interventions and upgrading
• Argue coherently and reflect critically within the parameters of a particular academic discipline, including self-assessment on learning

Recommended qualifications

No specific academic qualifications are required. The course draws on basic elements from economic theories, agriculture, trade, development studies and livelihoods; all or part of which most students will be acquainted with from earlier courses. Some experience in reading scientific journal articles is an advantage.



Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.