Value Chain Approach in Agriculture

Course Title:  EE 308- Value Chain Approach in Agriculture

  1. Course Aim: the aim of the course is to enable students develop skills on the Value Chain Approach in Agriculture and related sectors
  2. Course Aim
  • Course Expected Learning outcomes:

By the end of the course students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate understanding of basic concepts of value chain in agricultural enterprise
  • Demonstrate the importance of value addition on agricultural produce in real life situations.
  • Apply the concepts in promoting commercialization processes of farming communities.
  • Distinguish between horizontal and vertical linkage in the value chain concept
  1. Course status:            Core
  2. Credit rating: 9 Credits
  3. Total hours spent:             90 hours

                                    Lecture                                    36 hours

Seminars/Tutorials                   18 hours

Practical                                  9 hours

Assignment                             9 hours

Independent Research                        18 hours

Prerequisite: None

 

  • Course Content:

Definition of the concept of value chain in agriculture, origin and evolution of the value chain approach; challenges and opportunities for value chain development; market analysis approach; selection and mapping of a value chain; tasks involved in value chain mapping; assessment of value chain framework conditions; identification of social norms and structures in value chain mapping;  the roles of stakeholders in implementation, monitoring and evaluation of value chains; horizontal and vertical linkage in the value chain concept; factors limiting the implementation of the value chain concept in agriculture; safety and quality assurance along the value chain in agriculture.  

 

Practical: Case studies will be used to develop practical skills. These will be complimented, where necessary and where financial resources allow, with field trips to relevant sites. Alternatively, candidates will be involved in analyzing selected case studies of selected problems/issues and demonstrate level of articulation and proficiency through their participation in seminar presentations.

 

  • Teaching and Learning Activities

Teaching will involve lectures, practical, group assignments and seminar presentations, individual assignments to capture self- reading. Use of case studies in teaching for some practical aspects will be employed.

  1. Assessment Methods

The assessments will be through continuous assessments were written timed tests (theory and practical), quizzes, seminar presentation, practical reports, and submission of individual/group assignment papers will be used. The assessment will also include final University written examination.

 

  1. Reading List

International Labour Organization (2011). Value Chain Development Approaches and activities by seven UN agencies and opportunities for interagency cooperation. ILO: Switzerland

International Development Research Centre. (2000). A Handbook for Value Chain Research. Ottawa: IDRC.

Haggblade, S., Theriault, V., Staatz,J., Dembele, N. and Diallo, B.(2012) “A conceptual framework for promoting inclusive agricultural value chains”. Michigan State University and IFAD

Anholt, S (2005). Brand New Justice: How Branding Places and Products can Help the Developing World. Oxford Elsevier Butterworth- Heinemann

Wood, A. (2001), “Value Chains: An Economist’s Perspective”, in G. Gereffi and R. Kaplinsky (eds.), IDS Bulletin Special Issue on The Value of Value Chains, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 41-6.

United States Agency for International Development. (2007) Value chain program design: promoting market-base solutions for MSME and industry competitiveness. Washington, D.C.: USAID

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