Market Research Findings
Kenya
Pwani Value Chain Analysis in Coastal Kenya
A Value Chain Analysis by Farm Concern International with support from Tearfund in Coastal Kenya revealed low commercialization among smallholder farmers for all crops (Maize, Cassava, Green grams, Coconut, Cashew Nut, and Pineapples) apart from chilli which was grown only for commercial purposes. Smallholder farmers in Kilifi County produce 149,007MT of maize although a production gap 315,894MT is still persistent. Approximately 7,667MT of cowpea are produced which indicates a production gap of 4,294MT while 37,954MT of cassava are produced by smallholder farmers within Kilifi County although a production gap of 67,474 MT is being experienced among smallholder farmers.....Read More
Value Chain Validation Assessment for the USAID- Feed the Future, Kenya Agricultural Value Chain Enterprises Programme
According to the assessment conducted by Farm Concern International, FCI for the USAID- Feed the Future, Kenya Agricultural Value Chain Enterprises (KAVES) project in 22 Counties, smallholder and value chain profitability for maize is highly limited. The validation was conducted for thirteen-(13) priority value chains targeted and the assessment aimed at offering critical highlights on markets offering viable opportunities. The maize value chain is dominated by informal wholesale traders (33.3%), informal retailers (26.7%) and consumers (6.7%) as compared to formal retailers (supermarkets) & institutions (6.7%). Formal companies received maize from informal traders (42%), farmer deliveries (30%) as opposed to formal buyers aggregating maize at the farm gate (7%)...Read More
Productivity and Profitability Analysis - Kenya Coastal Region
Huge yield gaps are persistent for all the crops grown by small scale farmers in the coastal region. Although horticultural production can only be done under irrigation supplementation given the agro ecological condition of the Kenyan coastal region, use of good agricultural practices and increased use of yield enhancing inputs would earn farmers huge profits especially for tomatoes, sweet pepper, ABE chilli, cassava, kales and water melon...Read More
Input Suppliers and brokers are key Players in the Maize Value Chain
Farm Concern International conducted a Validation Value Chain Assessment survey under the USAID Feed the Future: Kenya Agricultural Value Chain Enterprises, KAVES Project to supplement and validate data already available from Government agencies and other studies. The desk review, field and trade survey was aimed at identifying the gaps and opportunities along the target value chains....Read More
Numerous Opportunities available in the Maize Value Chain
Maize is the most important staple crop in Kenya and is grown in both the low and high altitude agricultural zones. Despite the fore mentioned status that maize has earned in Kenya, there still exists numerous opportunities for development stakeholders and investors to venture in maize production, marketing and processing. Farm Concern International conducted a Validation Value Chain Assessment survey under the USAID Feed the Future: Kenya Agricultural Value Chain Enterprises, KAVES Project to supplement and validate data already available from Government agencies and other studies....Read More
Retailers are the biggest gainers in the maize supply chain
Maize is the single most important crop in Kenya, as even the communities that had traditional staple foods previously continually adopt it as the staple food. Needless to say, there is expanding demand for maize amidst shrinking arable land due to fragmentation and construction of other infrastructure leading to scarcity. However, this situation has not translated to increased income for farmers who labour to meet the high market demand in Kenya...Read More
Smallholder Farmers should adopt good Post-harvest practices for increased income
Low income for small holder farmers has been a song sang in Kenya since time immemorial. Indeed this has become a definitive part of our agricultural system. Farm Concern International conducted a Validation Value Chain Assessment survey under the USAID Feed the Future: Kenya Agricultural Value Chain Enterprises, KAVES Project to supplement and validate data already available from Government agencies and other studies.The survey revealed that the main postharvest management for sweet potatoes are grading (29.4%) followed by packaging (23.6%) and sorting (23.5%)..Read More
Tanzania
Assessment of Value Chain Postharvest Practices and Possible Interventions in Tanzania
According to a study conducted by Farm Concern International to assess the post harvest handling practices of small scale farmers in Siha, Hai, Arusha and Meru districts, there were poor post harvest techniques that were observed in Hai and Siha Districts. Curing of onions in Kawaya village and potatoes in Ngarenairobi was not done as is required for the two crops. Carrots and tomatoes on the other hand were packed with dirt. Onions were observed to have thick necks which were as a result of the pre harvest conditions while potatoes were not cured. It was also reported during Focus Group Discussions (FGD) that crates of tomatoes were heaped one on top of the other, causing mechanical injury on the tomatoes at the bottom of the pile. These are issues which require to be addressed through capacity building of farmers and traders...Read More
Tanzania Domestic Market Outlook: A focus on bean trade in Arusha and Kilimanjaro region
Beans are the third largest produced crop in Tanzania after maize and cassava. The main production areas are in the Northern Zone particularly Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Manyara region. Farm Concern International (FCI) with funds from HiVos through Agri-Nutrition for Coffee Zone in Tanzania undertook a rapid market opportunity assessment on commercialization and agri-trade of various agro-food commodities. This brief provides key highlights of the beans market in Tanzania based on findings from markets in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions...Read More
Tanzania Market Outlook: A focus on onion trade in Arusha and Kilimanjaro region
The local markets account for a very huge part of the markets for horticulture production in Tanzania. A study conducted by Farm Concern International (FCI) with funds from World Vision Tanzania and Canadian International Development Aid (CIDA) through the Market-led Agriculture Project established that, the domestic market account for 65% of onions produced in Tanzania. This brief provided insight of the nature of the onion trade in Tanzania focusing on Arusha and Moshi markets...Read More
Market Outlook Tanzania: Agri-trade in Arusha & Kilimanjaro regions
This brief provides market information and in depth analysis on the agricultural and horticultural commodities traded in Arusha and Moshi markets. The content here in is derived from a Rapid Market Assessment conducted in 7 markets across Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions by Farm Concern International (FCI) with funds from HiVos through Agri-Nutrition for Coffee Zone in Tanzania project...Read More
Banana, the new found ‘gold’ in Madibo market, Dar es Salam
Banana is now the new ‘gold’ benefitting both traders and smallholder farmers in traditional informal markets. Madibo Urafiki, market in Tanzania trades bananas valued at USD 4,750,995 per week by 271 traditional informal traders [Findings from SeFaMaCo Landscape report funded by the Gates Foundation] Smallholder farmers’ and informal markets are key to Africa’s food security and improved livelihoods. In Africa, agricultural marketing begins at the level of individual smallholder farmer, since as producers, they also consume part of what is produced and some marketed...Read More
Somaliland
Value Chain Analysis (VCA) in Somaliland
According to a Value Chain Analysis (VCA) study undertaken by Farm Concern International on behalf of FAO Somalia, the major challenges that farmers in Somaliland encounter in agricultural production and marketing were indicated as lack of transport and high cost of transport indicated by over 90% of the farmers, lack of market information (85.8%), poor infrastructure including lack of proper storage facilities (81.1%) and low pricing 61.3%. All these factors point out to two main issues; the long distance to the markets makes farmers transport commodities for long distances and poor infrastructure making the cost of transport high. Flow of market information is also inadequate and ultimately market access is limited for farmers while low pricing further inhibits farmers from investing in agricultural enterprises since profitability is suppressed....Read More
Banana market research data unlocks viable business opportunity for smallholder farmers
Banana production is concentrated in the South of Somalia, where an ingenious system of barrages and dams provides over 130,000 ha with access to 'gravity irrigation' from river water from the Ethiopian highlands. The production is concentrated in Balad, Afgoye, Awdegle and Janaale districts of Middle Shebelle and Lower Shebelle regions where Farm Concern International jointly with FAO- Somalia funded by European Union has been implementing a Rural Commercialization project since 2012...Read More
Zanzibar
Cassava Informal Market Summary
Cassava production in Zanzibar is a major enterprise for farmers. Farm concern International profiled five main cassava wholesale informal markets with statistics showing that there were 16 wholesale traders moving a total of 3,144.2 MT of cassava and cassava products valued at USD 979,685 although the annual market potential estimated at 8,328.6 MT. During the low supply season, the price of one kilogram of fresh cassava is USD 0.27 (Tsh 531.4) compared to average price of USD 0.06 during high supply season. Most of the smallholder farmers sell their cassava direct to brokers whose best price for a kilogram of fresh cassava during low supply season is only 0.13 (Tsh 270)....Read More
Ethiopia
Smallholder farmers’ potential to feed the world through Sweet potato and Bananas
The estimated farm gate value of sweet potato and bananas is USD 371 Million and USD 2 billion respectively. Their potential to feed the world is set to increase following the Seed-Farmer-Market Consumer (SeFaMaCo) Programme interventions by Farm Concern International with funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Agriculture is the main industry in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), employing 65% of Africa’s labor force and contributing about a third of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Agriculture is mostly done by smallholder farmers who own about 2 hectares or less of land....Read More
Uganda
Smallholder farmers’ potential to feed the world through Sweet potato and Bananas
The estimated farm gate value of sweet potato and bananas is USD 371 Million and USD 2 billion respectively. Their potential to feed the world is set to increase following the Seed-Farmer-Market Consumer (SeFaMaCo) Programme interventions by Farm Concern International with funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Agriculture is the main industry in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), employing 65% of Africa’s labor force and contributing about a third of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Agriculture is mostly done by smallholder farmers who own about 2 hectares or less of land....Read More
Rwanda
Value Chain Analysis and Small holder Commercialization Opportunities Study in Rwanda
According to a Value Chain Analysis and Small holder Commercialization Opportunities Study in Rwanda conducted by Farm Concern International under the Value Chains, Enterprises Development, Market Access and Commercialization (VEMAC) Programme funded by World Vision Rwanda, 8,747MT of maize is available for commercialization although only 3,853MT is sold indicating a commercialization index of 44%. In addition 5,587MT of beans, 15,413MT of sweet potatoes, 16,569MT of bananas and 38,533MT of potatoes are available for commercialization. However, farmers on average consume all the beans, sell only 3,083MT of sweet potatoes, 6,936MT of bananas and 11,560 MT of potatoes representing commercialization of 0%, 20%, 42% and 30% for beans, sweet potatoes, bananas and potatoes, respectively...Read More
Malawi
Value Chain Analysis in Malawi across four Area Programmes of Nkhoma & Chilenje AP (Lilongwe district), Nthondo AP in Ntchisi district and Chikwina-Mpamba in Nkhata-Bay district
A value chain Analysis conducted by Farm Concern International, FCI in Malawi revealed that the total annual market size for the target commodities across the sampled markets is estimated at USD 5,214,234 which is only 38% of the total market capacity. This means that there exists an unmet demand for the target commodities in the sampled markets valued at USD 8,488,753 annually. Fruits and vegetables worth USD 1,404,187 are annually traded across the sampled informal wholesale markets which is only 16% of the market capacity. Fish worth USD 2,029,368 and roots and tubers worth USD 393,608 are traded annually accounting for only 51% and 34% of the market capacity. However, the market findings indicated that informal markets are usually oversupplied with grains and legumes where 3,419MT of legumes and grains are supplied in the informal markets against the market capacity of 2,174MT which is 157% of what is demanded by the market....Read More
FCI VISION :Commercialized smallholder communities with increased incomes for improved, stabilized & sustainable livelihoods in Africa and beyond.