 |
About NAFRI |
|
Research Activities |
|
Information & Materials |
|
Linkages |
|
NAFRI News |
|
Centers |
About the NAFRI Seminar Series
The purpose of these meetings is to share and exchange experiences between NAFRI staff and other key actors in a less formal setting than a workshop or meeting. The objectives of the seminar series are to:
* Provide a forum to informally share results and lessons around particular topic, project activity or research being carried out.
* Improve sharing of information and ideas between key actors in the agriculture and rural development sectors.
*Provide NAFRI researchers, projects and other key actors with a forum to update each other on new developments or plans.
Mechanisms for engaging farmers and the private sector in market-orientated agriculture development
An agro-enterprise development process (AEDP) has been used to link farmers in upland areas to markets. This has helped farmers to identify products with a market demand which can drive expansion. The AEDP examines the whole market-chain, identifying constraints at any point along the chain. In many cases this is with the private sector, not with farmers.
Implementation of the process has shown that there can be rapid expansion of production of an existing product within the same season. Dynamic expansion is gained through (a) the emergence of service providers who proactively extend their services to additional villages, and (b) using the Kum Ban Pattna as a forum for farmers and traders, ensuring exchange of experiences and 'market information'. The approach engages the private sector to invest in agriculture development in two ways; (a) providing untied services to farmers (eg. training, product collection, etc.); and (b) getting farmers to pay for training, when they want to become service providers. These mechanisms provide further dynamic expansion.
Application of the AEDP could have profound implications beyond stimulating production of specific products. It leads to identification of underlying weakness of markets systems in Laos being revealed, and engenders local action. Taken at a higher level, it offers a 'roadmap' for "local market integration' in any district or province.
The AEDP has been piloted by the Small-scale Agroenteprise development for the Uplands (SADU) Project by NAFRI / CIAT in five districts of Xieng Khouang and Louang Prabang and is working with grains; livestock and NTFPs.
