Quick Facts:
Background and Rationale
Despite the emergence of new industries, farming remains to be a vibrant sector in ASEAN countries as most people continue to live in the rural areas and rely on agriculture for their livelihood. Agriculture also contributes substantially to the Gross Domestic Product or GDP of several ASEAN countries. Agricultural productions are mostly derived from smallholders, whose incomes are relatively minimal, usually depending on how the agricultural value chains are coordinated.
Agricultural value chain is usually defined from three perspectives—as a set of activities, as a set of actors and as a strategic network. As a set of activities, value chains describe the full range of activities required to bring a product or service from conception, through the different phases of production (involving a combination of physical transformation and the input of various producer services), to the final customers and disposal after use (Hellin and Meijer, 2006). This perspective or orientation is shared by FAO,2007; IIED,2008; GTZ,2008; ILO,2009; and USAID and World Bank, 2010.
The other perspective views VCD as a "set of actors connected along a chain- producing, transforming, and bringing goods and services to end-consumers through a sequenced set of activities. Value adding to the commodity happens in the process" UNIDO (2011). Finally, it is regarded as a strategic network among independent business organizations where the network members are extensively engaged in collaboration. In this perspective, the value chain is a "multi- player and multi-function arrangement comprising of core rules, and supporting functions undertaken by different players, through which exchange takes place, develops, adapts, and grows."
SEARCA promotes Inclusive and sustainable value-chain development, defined by UNIDO (2011) as a "positive or desirable change in a value chain to extend or improve productive operations and generate social benefits (poverty reduction, income and employment generation), economic growth, environmental/ ecological benefits, gender equity and other development goals." It focuses on marginalized actors in a value chain, such as smallholders, landless laborers, women and small-scale businesses, who participate in the agricultural value chains as producers, traders, processors, laborers and retailer.
Socio-economic dynamism and governance structure have recently made the agriculture value chain more complex and smallholders are the losers. Commodities produced by farmers are distributed to consumers via disjointed multiple marketing systems; not direct from production to consumers. Access to production and processing technologies to minimize post-harvest losses; compliance to strict market standards, like food safety; consumer preference; digital innovation; relationships between actors and emerging markets are just a few challenges to an inclusive agriculture value chain.
The absence of comprehensive inclusive and sustainable strategies along the entire value chain results into the marginalization of smallholder farmers and fisherfolks. A mastery of the VCD process can facilitate access to inputs and to markets through improving support services and enabling environment. This training- workshop sought to discuss concepts, definitions, processes and practices of inclusive and sustainable development agriculture and rural development. It sought to promote advanced competency in VCD for inclusive and sustainable development.
Objectives
The training course aimed to enhance the capacity of the participants in adopting and promoting the value chain approach for inclusive and sustainable development.
At the end of this training, the participants were expected to be able to:
- Discuss concepts and definitions of value chain, its potentials and limitations, principles and phases;
- Conduct value chain assessment and mapping;
- Determine informed strategies/interventions towards inclusive and sustainable value chain, including gender-sensitive value chain;
- Discuss the digital value chain strategy; and
- Formulate a value chain development plan that will promote value creation, efficiency, participation/integration, competiveness and resiliency.
Who Should Attend
Government and non-government actors engaged in the promotion of inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development through policy interventions, regulations, provision of support services like R&D, extension services, infrastructure services, social protection and rural institution/organizational development. The course is also designed for farmer-leaders; agribusiness operators; policy analysts; and program/project designers, service delivery system innovators, enterprises (especially social enterprises) and non-profit organizations engaged in value chain research and development. It is highly relevant for technical staff of government and non-government organizations; commodity-based agencies, industry; international, regional and national agencies undertaking value chain development projects; cooperatives; market-driven micro and small enterprises (MSEs) and academic institutions.
Expected Outputs
- Value chain analysis and intervention design of selected commodities/ sector which include:
- Sector Situationer;
- Value Chain Analysis and Mapping;
- Value Chain Development Strategy;
- Organization/ Institutional Arrangements for VCD; and
- M&E for the VCD
- Re-Entry Action Plan (REAP)
Training Methodologies
A variety of interactive training methods were utilized in the conduct of this training-workshop. Lecture-discussion (LD) were used to create awareness and understanding of the definition of concepts and present principles, approaches and procedures. It was followed by Q&A to deepen understanding and allow for exchange of insights. Several workshops, exercises, and buzz sessions were conducted to build and/or deepen the skills of participants on the use of various tools and methods in VCA. Outputs of the various workshops were presented in plenary session to facilitate exchange of ideas, sharing of experiences and dig into the realities on the ground.
A pre- and post-test examination were administered to gauge individual knowledge accumulation on the subject during the attendance to the course. A re-entry action plan (REAP) was required for all participants. Application of learnings from the workshop into practice in the workstations of the participants was reflected in the REAP.
Course Structure
The course was divided into four modules, as follows:
| Module 1 | Value Chain Development and the ASEAN Agriculture and Rural Development Challenges |
| Module 2 | Value Chain Mapping and Analysis |
| Module 3 | Value Chain Intervention Design; and |
| Module 4 | VCD Intervention Management. |
Course Fee
The course fees are USD640/PHP32,000.00, for live-in participants (includes accommodation at the SEARCA Residence Hall Annex, twin-sharing occupancy, with breakfasts and dinners, training course meals and materials and USD430/PHP21,500.00 for live-out participants (includes course meals and materials only).
Applications
Applications will be accepted until 5 April 2019.
For the application form for fee-paying participants, please register here.
For the application form for training grants, please download here: 
PDF format, 
MS Word format
Additional Information
News
SEARCA redefines value chain 'inclusivity' for regional agricultural and rural economy
