Value Chain of Matooke
My project undertook a comprehensive value chain analysis of Matoke in order to add value, and thus income, to the people of Nnindye. A value chain consists of the range of activities that are required to bring a product (or a service) from conception through the different phases of production to delivery to final consumers and disposal after use. The people who conduct the various processes involved in a value chain are referred to as actors.
A value chain analysis seeks to accomplish four goals. First, it seeks to systematically map out the actors involved. This most fundamental task requires the collection of the specific details of each process in areas like distribution, production, sale, and marketing. The second goal seeks to identify the distribution of the benefits to the actors in the value chain. Specifically, this looks at the margins which each actor incurs. The third goal examines the role of upgrading within the value chain. This means looking at ways in which specific actors can obtain more value either by creating new steps or undertaking current processes performed by others. Finally, value chain analysis seeks to highlight the role of governance within the value chain. This means that the value chain analysis looks at the various relationships and coordination methods characteristic of the value chain.
In order to conduct the value chain analysis, a bottom up approach was utilized. A bottom up approach looks first at the underlying activity in order to frame the rest of the research. Once enough information is collected on the underlying process, one may move onto collecting information pertaining to the rest of the value chain and the surrounding environment.
With respect to this project, utilizing a bottom up approach meant first learning about the production of matooke within the 12 villages (excluding Kasaalu). In order to do this, focus groups were conducted with each of the villages in order to identify key processes, roles and strategies. Furthermore, these interviews revealed other actors involved in the value chain outside of production.
Using this information, interviews were then conducted with local matooke retailers in order to paint a picture of what the local market was like and further identify more actors. Interviews with regional farmers’ associations followed in order to obtain a holistic view of local markets as well as identify actors in other, larger markets. Next, interviews were conducted with retailers in Kampala in order to obtain details for the largest markets in Uganda, with presumably the highest prices. Also while in Kampala, interviews with conducted with various exporters and government agents in order to frame the export market as well as to discover any programs which might be in place relating to matooke. An interview was also performed with leaders from the Presidential Initiative for Banana Industrial Development (“PIBID”). This interview gave us insight into the different value added matooke products and the production processes required to produce them.
Throughout the course of the value chain analysis, various actors who were either discovered late in the process or did not directly fit into the value chain were interviewed. These individuals primarily pertained to the transportation of matooke and included shipping companies, shipping agents and truck salesmen.
A value chain analysis seeks to accomplish four goals. First, it seeks to systematically map out the actors involved. This most fundamental task requires the collection of the specific details of each process in areas like distribution, production, sale, and marketing. The second goal seeks to identify the distribution of the benefits to the actors in the value chain. Specifically, this looks at the margins which each actor incurs. The third goal examines the role of upgrading within the value chain. This means looking at ways in which specific actors can obtain more value either by creating new steps or undertaking current processes performed by others. Finally, value chain analysis seeks to highlight the role of governance within the value chain. This means that the value chain analysis looks at the various relationships and coordination methods characteristic of the value chain.
In order to conduct the value chain analysis, a bottom up approach was utilized. A bottom up approach looks first at the underlying activity in order to frame the rest of the research. Once enough information is collected on the underlying process, one may move onto collecting information pertaining to the rest of the value chain and the surrounding environment.
With respect to this project, utilizing a bottom up approach meant first learning about the production of matooke within the 12 villages (excluding Kasaalu). In order to do this, focus groups were conducted with each of the villages in order to identify key processes, roles and strategies. Furthermore, these interviews revealed other actors involved in the value chain outside of production.
Using this information, interviews were then conducted with local matooke retailers in order to paint a picture of what the local market was like and further identify more actors. Interviews with regional farmers’ associations followed in order to obtain a holistic view of local markets as well as identify actors in other, larger markets. Next, interviews were conducted with retailers in Kampala in order to obtain details for the largest markets in Uganda, with presumably the highest prices. Also while in Kampala, interviews with conducted with various exporters and government agents in order to frame the export market as well as to discover any programs which might be in place relating to matooke. An interview was also performed with leaders from the Presidential Initiative for Banana Industrial Development (“PIBID”). This interview gave us insight into the different value added matooke products and the production processes required to produce them.
Throughout the course of the value chain analysis, various actors who were either discovered late in the process or did not directly fit into the value chain were interviewed. These individuals primarily pertained to the transportation of matooke and included shipping companies, shipping agents and truck salesmen.