Markets, value chains and development

Debating assumptions, evidence, intervention strategies

We herewith invite you to an exiting day; with a program centering on the question what do we actually know about how value chains and markets work for development. In the morning, bilateral dialogues of businesses, NGOs, and governments with researchers aim to make intervention theories explicit and to seek bridges between frameworks of different actors. In the afternoon, small-scale farmers’ agency in setting the development agenda is the focal point of a combination of provocations from Latin America, Africa and Asia, with the aim to take a careful look at the assumptions, impacts, evidence, benefits and risks of the approach to making markets work for small-scale farmers. During a dinner meeting, we aim to translate the insights and perspectives passed in review during the day, from business, NGOs, farmers, and government respectively, into ingredients for a shared knowledge agenda, with the aim to invite debate and feed back that helps to further shape, refine and present this agenda.

Much of the renewed interest in small-scale agriculture has focused on connecting producers to markets. Value chains and the concept of “pro-poor markets” figure prominently in development policy, practice and research. NGOs cooperate with producers’ organization to facilitate linkages with companies. Firms collaborate with civil society organization and public agencies to enable farmers to comply with voluntary standards. Governments support partnerships and development programs with the aim to include small scale farmers or local enterprises into the operations of global value chains. Researchers theorize about governance and inclusion and investigate the nature of the linkages of workers and producers with value chains.

The program is as follows:

Þ 9:00-12:00 Bilateral dialogues Value chain governance and endogenous economic growth
Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Kortenaerkade 12, 2518 AX The Hague.
For directions to the ISS click here

Þ 12:00-12:45 Lunch. Institute of Social Studies (ISS

Þ 13:00-16:00 Provocation Producers agency and the agenda to “make markets work for the poor”. Museum for Communication, Zeestraat 82, 2518 AD The Hague (just around the corner of ISS). For directions to the Museum for Communication click here

Þ 17:00-20:00 Dinner meeting: setting a knowledge agenda.

Institute of Social Studies (ISS). For directions to the ISS click here

This day combines the forces of two projects:

- The Development Policy Research Network (DPRN) project “Value chain governance and endogenous economic growth: how can NGOs, firms and governments achieve inclusion and poverty reduction?” coordinated by the Institute of Social Studies and Wageningen University and Research Center, organises the bilateral dialogues and the dinner meeting.
More information click here

- The Provocation is organised by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and HIVOS (Netherlands) in collaboration with the program Empowering Smallholder Farmers in Markets (ESFIM) coordinated by LEI-WUR. This provocation is part of a travelling series of “provocations” organised by IIED, HIVOS, Mainumby and collaborating institutes. This series is supported by the Hivos Knowledge Programme Small Producer Agency in the Globalized Market.

Registration is no longer possible. For information contact info@hivos.net