ICRAF – CIP – ILRI – CIAT – ICRISAT – IITA-Foodnet

22-27 November 1999, ICRAF House, Nairobi, KenyaCentres of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), in collaboration with the regional network of the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), are offering a short training course: Methods for analysis of agricultural markets in eastern and southern Africa. The goal of the workshop is better understanding and knowledge of agricultural marketing—in keeping with the new ASARECA strategy for market-driven research. Such knowledge is critical to the development and successful diffusion of new agricultural technology and in efforts to raise rural incomes through increased and more effective market integration and the development of small to medium-scale agro-enterprises.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The general aim of the training course is to develop the skills of researchers within the national agricultural research system (NARS) and in other organisations involved in agricultural marketing research. Specifically, this will involve the following

• Familiarising participants with standard methods for analyzing agricultural marketing in developing countries
• Presenting participatory methods for identifying and evaluating market opportunities for small rural producers
• Providing hands-on instruction in these methods in both the classroom and the field
• Offering feedback on on-going and/or proposed marketing research
• Familiarizing participants with on-going marketing research, including that of the participating CG centres and NARS in the region
• Briefing on funding opportunities for market-oriented research
• Practice and feedback on developing concept notes for research projects.

TRAINING MATERIALS

Course content will be based on three publications:

Participants will receive a copy of each publication prior to the course.

The course facilitators have contributed to the course texts and other training materials and have extensive experience in conducting and facilitating research on agricultural marketing and markets.

PARTICIPANTS

Trainees will be people likely to be involved in marketing research after the course. Those who have had some training in economics or the social sciences will have an advantage. Some basic familiarity with computers is useful, but not essential.

Pre-requisites for the course

Prior to the course, all nominees will be expected to submit a brief report about the marketing of some commodity in their country. This report will be presented during the course and may be ONE of the following.

• A draft report of research results in progress
• A desk top assessment of current marketing practices for a particular commodity and proposed solutions to be examined in subsequent research
• A draft project proposal to conduct marketing research on a particular good or level in the marketing system (including sections on background and justification, objectives, methods, and expected outputs)
• A brief review of the available literature on the marketing of a specific commodity in their country of origin

The report should be at least 5 pages in length (not more than 15) and accompanied by overhead transparencies (not more than 3) for presentation purposes.

CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION

All nominations MUST be supported by the employing institutions.

Participation will be confirmed only after a nominee submits an acceptable report. Reports must reach ICRAF not later than 29 October 1999.

The sponsor CG centre will meet the training, travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for each participant.

For more information about this course, contact:

Janet Awimbo
Training Officer
International Centre for Research in Agroforestry
PO Box 30677, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 2 521450; Fax: +254 2 521001;
e-mail: j.awimbo@cgiar.org

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