OverviewofCassavaValueChainAnalysisTheclassicdefinitionmostoftenappliedtovaluechainsisthatthetermvaluechainrefersto“thefullrangeofactivitiesthatarerequiredtobringaproduct(oraservice)fromconceptionthroughthedifferentphasesofproductiontodeliverytofinalconsumersanddisposalafteruse”(Kaplinsky19991).Valuechainanalysiscanbeutilizedinanarrowsensetorefertoactivitieswithinasinglefirmtobringaproducttomarket.However,itismorecommontotakeabroaderviewanddefineavaluechainaslookingatthecomplexrangeofactivitiesimplementedbyvariousactors(primaryproducers,processors,traders,serviceproviders)tobringarawmaterialthroughachaintothesaleofthefinalproduct.Thisbroadviewstartsfromtheproductionsystemoftherawmaterialsandmovesalongthelinkageswithotheractorsandenterprisesengagedintrading,assembling,processing,etc.Inaddition,valuechainanalysisisconcernedwiththecharacteristicsofbackwardandforwardlinkagesbetweenactorsinthechain.Valuechainanalysistakesaholisticapproachtoanalysisandincludesconsiderationofdirectactors,indirectactorsandexternalinfluences.Directactorsaredefinedasthosewhoaredirectlyinvolvedintheprocessesofbringtheproductfromproductiontoconsumption–generallymeaningthosewhotakeownershipandpossessionoftheproduct.Indirectactorsarethosewhohaveaninfluenceonthevaluechain,butwhosonottakedirectownershipandpossessionoftheproduct.Externalinfluencesthatimpactonthevaluechainincludeeconomic,environmentalandsocio-culturalforces.

1Kaplinsky,R.(1999).“GlobalisationandUnequalization:WhatCanBeLearnedfromValueChainAnalysis.”JournalofDevelopmentStudies37(2):117-146.

Figure1:Actorsandinfluencesinvaluechainanalysis(Source:LINK2.0Methodology,CIAT,2014)

KaplinskyandMorris(20012)highlightfouraspectsofvalue-chainanalysiswhichmakeitaparticularlyusefultechniquetoapplytoagriculturaldevelopment.SystematicMapping-Value-chainanalysissystematicallymapstheactorsparticipatingintheproduction,distribution,marketing,andsalesofaparticularproduct(orproducts).Thismappingassessesthecharacteristicsofactors,profitandcoststructures,flowsofgoodsthroughoutthechain,employmentcharacteristics,andthedestinationandvolumesofdomesticandforeignsales.DistributionofBenefits-Value-chainanalysiscanplayakeyroleinidentifyingthedistributionofbenefitsbetweenactorsinthechain.Thatis,throughtheanalysisofmarginsandprofitswithinthechain,itispossibletodeterminewhobenefitsfromparticipationinthechainandwhichactorscouldbenefitfromincreasedsupportororganisation.Upgrading-Value-chainanalysiscanbeusedtoexaminetheroleofupgradingwithinthechain.Upgradingcaninvolveimprovementsinqualityandproductdesignordiversificationintheproductlinesserved,allowingproducerstogainhighervalue.Ananalysisoftheupgradingprocessincludesanassessmentoftheprofitabilityofactorswithinthevaluechainaswellasinformationonlimitationsthatarecurrentlypresent.Governance-Value-chainanalysishighlightstheroleofgovernanceinthevalue-chain,whichcanbeinternalorexternal.Governancewithinavalue-chainreferstothestructureofrelationshipsandcoordinationmechanismsthatexistbetweenactorsinthevalue-chain.Governanceisabroadconceptwhichbasicallyensuresthatinteractionsbetweenchainparticipantsareorganised,ratherthanbeingsimplyrandom.Valuechainanalyseswereconductedateachofthesiteandconsistedoftwointerlinkedcomponents:(i)valuechaintraining;and(ii)fieldwork(farmerfocusgroupdiscussionsand2Kaplinsky,R.andM.Morris(2001).AHandbookforValueChainResearch.Brighton,UnitedKingdom,InstituteofDevelopmentStudies,UniversityofSussex.

valuechainparticipantsurveys).Thevaluechainanalyseswererelativelyrapid,witharound6-7daysallocatedpersite.ValueChainTrainingValuechaintrainingwasundertakenovera1.5–2dayperiodineachsite(inCambodiaandVietnam)orinacentrallocation(IndonesiaandLaoPDR).Thekeyobjectivesofthevaluechaintrainingexercisewere:(i)participantsgainunderstandingofbasicprinciples,theoryandapplicationofvaluechainanalysis;(ii)participantscompletebasicvaluemappingoftargetCassavavaluechainsandfilluppreviouslymissinginformation;(iii)participantsidentifymissinginformationandprioritizekeyinformationforcollectionduringfieldwork;and(iv)participantsfinalizeorganizationforfieldworkincludingfinalidentificationofkeystakeholdersandinformationtobegathered.Thekeytrainingresourceutilizedwasthethirdeditionofthetoolbook“MakingValueChainsWorkBetterforthePoor”developedundertheMakingMarketsWorkBetterforthePoorProject,supportedbyADBandDFID3.Giventhelimitedtimeavailability,thetrainingconcentratedonthetoolbookPart1ConceptsandPart2Tool1ValueChainMapping.Thetrainingalsocoveredgenderandsocialinclusioninvaluechainanalysis.Whilethetrainingequippedstudentswithabasictheoreticknowledgeofvaluechainanalysisthroughtraditionalclassroomteaching,agreaterconcentrationwasputonstudentlearningthroughpracticalvaluechainmappingexercises.Thiswasgreatlyfacilitatedbythemixofstudentsinthetraining,includingteammembersfromcentrallevelresearchinstitutesanduniversitiesandrepresentativesfromthelocallevel,includingfarmers,extensionworkersandlocalgovernmentofficers.

3Purcell,T.,Gniel,S.,vanGent,R.,Johnson,A.andSmith,D.(2008)MakingValueChinasWorkBetterforthePoor: AToolbookforPractitionersofValueChainAnalysis,DFID/ADBOctober2008.

Figure2:Handsonvaluechaintrainingactivitiesundertakeninfivelocationsinfourcountries(Clockwisefromtopleft:SonLa,Vietnam;KotaBatu,Indonesia;Vientiane,LaoPDR;DakLak,VietnamandKratie,Cambodia)

Themainpracticaltrainingactivitiesforparticipantswerethepreparationandpresentationoffourinterrelatedvaluechainmapsbasedonthecassavavaluechainsinthelocalarea.Thesefourmapsprovideafirstpictureofthecassavavaluechainsandformthebasisofplanningofthesubsequentfieldwork,includingfieldworklocations,farmergroupsandtargetedvaluechainactors.Thevaluechainmapswererefinedafterthefieldworktotakeintoaccountadditionalinformationobtainedinfarmerfocusgroupsandvaluechainactorsurveys.GenderandSocialInclusionMappingGenderandsocialinclusionmappingofthevaluechainisundertakentohighlighttheheterogeneousnatureofactorsatvariousstagesofthevaluechainandtoexplorethedifferingcharacteristicsofproduction,powerrelationsandthedifferentialimpactofchangebetweensocialgroups.Thefirstpartofthemappingexerciseistoidentifydifferentiatedsocialgroupswithinavaluechainactorcategory.Forexample,ratherthanusingahomogenousgrouping(cassavafarmers),heterogeneousclassificationscouldbedevelopedbasedonsocialgrouping–femaleandmalefarmers;poor,mediumandbetter-offfarmersorgroupingsbasedonethnicity.Oncethegroupingsaredeveloped,thecharacteristicsofproductionforeachgrouparediscussedandrecorded.Keycharacteristicsinclude–landsize,varietytype,contracts,

laboursource,fertilizeruse,landpreparation,creditaccessandcreditprovision,typeofproductsoldetc.Powerrelationsbetweendifferentsocialgroupingsandalsobetweenthesocialgroupandothervaluechainactors(forexamplebetweenpoorfarmersandinputsuppliersvs.better-offfarmersandinputsuppliers)arediscussedandrecorded.Finally,likelychangescenariosareelaborated(e.g.declineincassavaprice,openingofnewfactory)andthepotentialimpactoneachsocialgroupisdiscussedandrecorded.Figure3showsthebasicmatrixutilizedforgenderandsocialinclusionmappingandsomeexamplesfromDakLakareshowninFigure4.

Group1 Group2 Group3

CharacteristicsofProduction

Powerrelations

ImpactofChange

Figure3:Matrixforgenderandsocialinclusionmapping

Figure4:SocialinclusionmappingfromDakLak(left–farmersdifferentiatedbyethnicgrouping;right–farmersdifferentiatedbypovertystatus)

ProcessMappingProcessmappingisthecoreofanyvaluechainmappingexerciseandisawayofrepresentingthekeycharacteristicsofthevaluechainandvaluechainactorsinanaccessibleformat.Processmappingincludesthefollowingkeyinformation:

Processes–thecoreprocessesthatoccurfrominputstorawmaterialthroughtofinalconsumptionofendproducts.Typicalprocesseswouldincludeinputsupply,production,collection,trading,processing,wholesalingandretailingActors–thesearethepeopleinvolvedinthevaluechain.Eachprocessidentifiedwillhavesomeactorsassociatedwiththatprocess.Thecharacterizationofactorscanberelativelysimple(e.g.“farmers”)ormorecomplex(e.g.“poorfarmers,mediumfarmers,better-offfarmers”).Thelevelofcomplexityofcharacterizationofactorscanbeguidedbytheresultsofthegenderandsocialequitymappingabove.Activities–theactivitiesarewhatisactuallydonebytheactorsateachprocess.Thisshouldbeasdetailedaspractical–ratherthan“cassavafarming”asanactivity,itispreferabletonote“landpreparation,planting,weeding,fertilizing,harvesting”.Iftherearemorethanonegroupofactorsdefinedforavaluechainprocess,thendifferentiatedactivitiesshouldalsobedefinedforeachgroup.Inputandoutputform–theformofthecoreproductattheinputandoutputstageofeachofthecoreprocessesofthevaluechain.Forexample,theinputformofcassavatostarchprocessingisfreshcassavarootandtheoutputformisstarchandby-products,includingfibre.Externalservices–anyexternalservicesthatareprovidedtovaluechainactorsateachprocesslevelwithinthevaluechainshouldbeidentified.Wherepossible,differentiatedservicescanbeidentifiedfordifferentsocialgroups.Mappingtheseexternalservicescanidentifypotentialentrypointsforvaluechaininterventions.Constraintsandpotentialsolutions–variousconstraintsexistatallprocesseswithinavaluechain.Forexample,therecouldbeconstraintstoincreasedproductivity,constraintstoupgradingorconstraintstosustainableinvolvementofthepoor.Theidentificationoftheseconstraintsandinitialbrainstormingaroundpotentialsolutionsisanimportantpartofidentifyingpotentialinterventionstrategiesfortheproject.Process Process1 Process2 Process3 Process4….

Actors

Activities

InputForm

OutputForm

ExternalServices

Constraints

PossibleSolutions

Figure5:Matrixforprocessmapping

Figure6:ProcessmapforcassavavaluechaininKrongBong,DakLak.Processesare:inputs,production,collection/trading,processingandexport.

Flow,valueandrelationshipmappingMappingtheflowofproductsthroughavaluechaingivesaclearpictureofthemovementofproductthroughthechain.Whenconstructingaflowmap,thevaluechainisgraphicallyrepresentedasaseriesofconnectedboxeswithlinksbetweeneachbox.Theproportionsofproductflowingalongeachofthelinkscanthenbeadded.Oncetheactorsandrelativevolumesofproductsaremapped,thenextstageistoaddtheunitvaluesofbuyingandsellingateachactoralongthevaluechain.Thiscangiveaneasyindicationofthegrossmarginsforeachactor.Figure7showsatypicalexampleofaflow/valuemap.

Figure7:Exampleflowandvaluemap

Theflow/valuemapcanbefurtherenhancedbyincludinginformationabouttherelationshipsbetweenthevaluechainactors.Atthemostbasicleveltherelationshipcouldbedescribedasbeingeitherapersistentrelationshiporaspotmarketrelationship.Persistentrelationshipsarerelationshipswhereactorsundertakenumeroustransactionswitheachotheroveraperiodoftimeandhavebuiltuptrustandmutualunderstanding.Thismayinvolveaformalized,writtencontractbetweenthetwoparties,butthisdoesnotalwayshavetobethecase.Spotmarketrelationshipsarerelationshipsthatexistforaspecifictransaction.Actorsmakeatransaction(includingagreementonpriceandotherrequirements)purelyforthedurationandscopeofthatspecifictransaction.Thesedifferingrelationshipscanberepresentedonthemapbydifferentlinetypes,asshowninFigure8.

Figure8:Examplerelationshipmap

Figure9:Flow,valueandrelationshipmap,EaKar,DakLak,Vietnam

GeographicMappingOncethesocialinclusion,processandflow,valueandrelationshipmapsarecompleted,itisrelativelyeasytotransfertheinformationtoageographicmapofthestudyregion.Thephysicallocationsofthevariousactorsandkeyprocessescanbemarkedonthemap,aswellasanindicationofthekeyproductflowroutes.Havingthekeyinformationaboutthevaluechainonageographicmapgreatlyfacilitatestheorganizationofthesubsequentfieldworktocollectadditionalinformation.Figure10showsageographicvaluechainmapfromCambodia.ThemapincludesanindicationofkeycassavaproductionareasaswellasidentificationofcollectionpointsoperatedbytradersandthekeytransportroutesforcassavarootandchipexporttoVietnam.ThismapwasveryusefulinplanningthefieldworkactivitiesinKratie.

Figure10:Geographicmapofcassavavaluechain,Kratie,Cambodia

FieldworkThefieldworkportionofthevaluechainanalysiswasundertakenafterthecompletionofthetraining.Fieldworkineachsitewasundertakenover4-5daysandconsistedoftwointerlinkedactivities:FarmerFocusGroupDiscussionsandValueChainActorSurveys.Thetwoactivitieswereconductedsimultaneouslybytwoseparateteams.Theteamswereabletoshareinformationanddiscusstheiractivitiesattheendofeachfieldworkday.Theoverallobjectivesofthefieldworkwereto:(i)gatherrelevantprimaryinformationfromkeyinformantsatvariousstagesinthevaluechain;(ii)finalizevaluechainmappingandanalysisofrelationshipsandlinkagesbasedondiscussionsintheworkshop/trainingandinformationgatheredinthefieldwork;and(iii)basedontheabove,identifyandprioritisepotentialentrypointsforprojectinterventioninthevaluechain.FocusGroupDiscussionsFocusgroupdiscussionswereundertakenwithgroupsofaround20farmersinanumberofcommunitiesineachsite.Thefocusgroupdiscussionswererunbyateamofaround5facilitatorsandreportersandconcentratedon9keyinformationgatheringactivities:

Activity1BasicVillageInformation-gatheringbasicsocio-economicandagronomicinformationaboutthevillageandbasicinformationonanyfarmergroupsoperatinginthevillage.Activity2LivelihoodActivities-gatheringinformationonagriculturalactivities,off-farmincomeandnon-farmactivitiesandremittances.Asfaraspossible,theinformationgatheredisdisaggregatedbypovertystatusandbymaleandfemalehouseholdmembers.Activity3HistoryofCassavaProductionintheVillage-gatheringinformationonkeyvillageeventsincludingthestartofcassavaproductionwithafocusonchangesincassavaproductionandmarketingarrangements.Activity4Seasonalcalendar-gatheringmonth-by-monthinformationonrainfall,foodavailability,keycroppingactivitiesforcassavaandothercrops(e.g.Paddyrice,uplandrice,maizeetc.),keyactivitiesforlivestockraisingandkeylabourstressperiodsforbothmenandwomen.Inaddition,detailedgenderrolesforeachofthekeycroppingandlivestockactivitieswerecollected.

Figure11:Farmerfocusgroupdiscussionsgatheringinformationoncroppingcalendar(left)andcassavaproductionbudget(right),Kratie,Cambodia.

Activity5Cassavaproductionbudget-gatheringinformationoncostsoflandpreparation,varieties,seedsystem,fertilitymanagement,weedmanagementandpost-harvestaswellasinformationonintercropping,cassavayieldsandpricesofrootsandchips.Activity6Cassavautilisationandvaluechain-gatheringinformationontheuseofcassavachainonfarm(ownconsumption,feedingtolivestock),whatproductsaresold(roots,chips),whomakesdecisionsaboutselling,whoandwheretheproductissoldto,whatcontractualorotherrelationshiphavetothebuyer.Activity7Rankingofimportanceofactivities-gatheringinformationontherelativeimportanceofvariousactivitiesintermsofhouseholdfoodsecurity,householdcashincomeanduseoflabour.Disaggregatedinformationwasgatheredforbetteroffandpoorhouseholds,andinadditionthefarmergroupwassplitintomaleandfemalesub-groupsforthisactivity.Activity8Problemsandconstraints-gatheringinformationonthemajorconstraintsorproblemswithcassavaproduction,includingaccesstoplantingmaterial,labouravailability,soilfertility,soilerosion,pestsanddiseaseandaccesstocredit.

Activity9Potentialinterventionsandranking-gatheringinformationonfarmers’opinionsonpotentialinterventionstoenhancethesustainabilityofcassavaproduction,includingnewvarietiesforconsumptionorprocessing,providinginformationonappropriatefertilizerrates,soilconservationoptions,intercroppingandpost-harvesttechniques.ValueChainActorSurveyThevaluechainactorsurveytargetedkeyparticipantsinthevaluechainasinitiallyidentifiedbyparticipantsduringthevaluechaintrainingexercise.Furtheractorstobeincludedinthesurveywereidentifiedduringinitialinterviews.Theseadditionalactorswereincludedintheschedulewherepossible,giventimeconstraintsandchallengeswithgainingpermissionforinterviewsatshortnotice.Thevaluechainactorsurveywasundertakenbyasmallteam(2-3people),withoneteammemberadministeringaformalsurveyandtheotherteammemberstakingnotes,draftingproductflowmapsandclarifyingresponses.Between4and12surveyswereundertakenateachsiteovera4-5dayperiod.PaperbasedsurveyswereusedinLaoPDRandCambodiaandelectronicsurveysusingtheCommcareapp4onandroidtabletswereutilizedinIndonesiaandVietnam.

Figure12:Administeringpaper-basedandelectronicversionsofthevaluechainactorsurvey(left:Cambodiaandright:Indonesia)

Theformalsurveyconsistedof12sections,ofwhichthefirst6sectionsaredirectlyrelatedtoinformationgatheringforvaluechainmappingandcharacterizationandtheremaining6sectionsgathertechnicalinformationrelatingtopotentialinterventionsundertheproject.Section1ActorInformation–gatheringbasicdemographicandbusinessinformationaboutvaluechainactorSection2Purchasing–gatheringinformationaboutproducttypespurchased,quantitypurchased,purchaseprice,relationshipwithsellers,informationflowsandchallenges.Section3Buying-gatheringinformationaboutproducttypessold,quantitysold,sellingprice,relationshipwithbuyers,informationflowsandchallenges.Section4CostStructure–gatheringinformationonkeyelementsofvariableandfixedcostsinordertobeabletoaccuratelyestimategrossandnetmargins.Section5Accesstocreditandprovisionofcredit–gatheringinformationonamountsandconditionsofloanstakentoconductbusinessandprovisionofcredittosuppliers.

4AvailableforandroiddevicesontheGooglePlayStore

Section6Accesstoinformationandtraining–gatheringinformationonthesourcesandqualityofinformationavailabletovaluechainactors.Section7CassavaVariety–gatheringinformationonexistingcassavavarietyuse,sourcesandknowledgeandinterestinobtainingnewvarieties.Section8FertilizerUse-gatheringinformationonexistingfertilizeruse,sourcesandknowledgeandinterestinparticipatingintrialsofimprovedfertilizeruse.Section9LandPreparation-gatheringinformationonknowledgeandpracticerelatingtolandpreparationandinterestinparticipatingintrialsofimprovedlandpreparationtechniques.Section10SoilConservation-gatheringinformationonknowledgeandpracticerelatingtosoilconservationandinterestinparticipatingintrialsofimprovedsoilconservationtechniques.Section11PestandDiseaseManagement-gatheringinformationontheextentofknowledgeofexistingpestanddiseasesandcurrentmanagementtechniques.Section12WeedControl-gatheringinformationonknowledgeandpracticerelatingtoweedcontrolandinterestinparticipatingintrialsofimprovedweedcontroltechniques.Atthesametimeastheadministeringoftheformalsurvey,otherteammemberswereutilizingtheDrawexpress5apptopreparemapsofthevaluechainactorsbuyingandsellingproductflowsbasedontheinformationgatheredintheformalsurvey.Thismapwasthenpresentedtothevaluechainactorforverificationbeforebeingfinalized(seeFigure13).

Figure13:Examplemapofproductflowsdevelopedduringvaluechainactorsurveyandcheckedpriortofinalization

5AvailableforandroiddevicesontheGooglePlayStoreandasDrawExpressDiagramforIOSdevicesfromAppleAppstore.

LessonsLearned- Participationofbothnationallevelpartnersandlocallevelkeyinformants- Handson/practicalanalysisofvaluechainisbetterthantheoreticalwork- Translationofslides,toolbook,FGDmaterialandvaluechainactorsurvey- Havingseparateteamsforfocusgroupdiscussionsandvaluechainactorsurveysis

moreefficientinthefield,butitcanleadtoalackofinformationsharing- Tabletsaregenerallyveryefficientforinformationcollectionandespeciallyfordata

entry.Enthusiasmwashighfrombothyoungerandmiddle-agedresearchers.Tabletsworkbestformultiplechoiceandnumericquestions.Theyarefarlesssuitableforopen-endedquestions.

- UsingtheDrawexpressapptocreatevaluechainmapsduringinterviewsisaquickwaytodoublechecktheaccuracyofcollectedinformationaboutvaluechainparticipants,productflows,volumesandprices.