In 2007 I evaluated the Ouagadougou peri-urban project of ASUDEC which worked on improving poultry production at household level and on micro-credits for women groups. An impact assessment was made and recommendations were formulated.
Poultry development in Ougadougou, Burkina
August 12, 2011 by
Strategic planning for pastoralism in Kenya
August 12, 2011 by
In 2011 Cordaid ask me to review it’s livestock marketingactivities via Self Help Groups and to draft a new long term strategy to support value chain based interventions for pastoralists in drought prone Northern Kenya.
Rural development and livelihoods in Tanzania
August 12, 2011 by
In 1994 I was member of two missions to formulate integrated rural development programmes of DGIS in Kondoa and Mpwapa districts. I was responsible for the Natural Resource Management cum Farming System Development component.
Research programming in Ivory Coast
August 12, 2011 by
In 1995 I formulated a multi-annual research program in Tai-region, Ivory Coast for the Tropenbos Foundation in co-operation with the Wageningen Agricultural University.
Agricultural research in Mali
August 12, 2011 by
Fact finding mission (1999) for a project to support the national agricultural research system. Main issues were institutional set-up of the Insitiute d’ Economie Rural (IER) and the role of Producers’ Organisations in financing applied research. The latter was especially relevant in the area of the ‘Office du Niger’.
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- Rice in Niono, Office du Niger
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- Market in Djenne
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- Marketing baoba seeds
Agricultural research, extension and education in Moldova
August 12, 2011 by
Fact finding mission for Stoas International in 2000 on the EU-Tacis project with the Ministry of Agriculture “Support for Development of Agricultural Education, Research and Advisory Services”.
Support to agricultural markets in Moldova
August 12, 2011 by
On request of Oxfam/Novib I formulated the ASPA programme: ‘Alliance for the Support of Agricultural Markets’. It consists of 5 components: 1) market information system; 2) support to farmers’ organisations; 3) support to SME’s in marketing (incl. a credit line); 4) create marketing coops, 5) lobby to improve (export) regulations.
Marketing via producers’ organisations in Ethiopia
August 12, 2011 by
On request of the Dutch Embassy I identified in 2003 a long-term program to support Farmers’ Organisations and agricultural marketing in Ethiopia. Later this became the BAOM project of SNV. The main task was to develop an outline of a program with a public and a private component with a budgte of some twelve million Euro. A pre-selection was made of potential value chains and of possible project partners and service providers .
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- Orthodox priest
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- Harar market
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- Marketing cereal with a papyrus boat
Value chain development in mountainous Albania
August 12, 2011 by
In 2008 I formulated a five year programme for Danida in Northern Albania. My tasks were to analyse existing agricultural policies and programmes; to identify potential value chains for support and to design the outline of the new programme. Based on the outcomes I drafted a ToR for the formulation. The next step was to formulate the programme “Value Chains for Sustainable Livelihoods in Mountainous Albania”. My tasks were to propose the institutional setting, the overall strategy and approach, to select the value chains (fruits, small ruminants, Medical and Aromatic Plants) and to identify potential Business Development Service providers.
Private sector development in Georgia
August 12, 2011 by
In 2009 I was a the horticultural expert in the team that formulated a Support Programme for Private Sector Development in Rural Georgia for Danida. My role was to design the support to value chains of small fruits (fegoa, kiwi, citrus, berries) and herbs in Western Georgia.
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- A proud fruit processor
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- Fegoa, a less well known fruit
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- Street vendor in Tblisi
Vocational training in Ethiopia
August 12, 2011 by
In 2011 I assisted two agricultural TVET institutes in Ethiopia to formulate the support they need to adjust their curricula to the labour market. This meant including more agri-business and value chain elements in the courses and using more practical teaching methodologies. The two inputs were a studytour to the Netherlands and a support mission in Ethiopia.
Value chain development in Georgia
August 11, 2011 by
In 2011 I was a team member of the appraisal mission of the Rural Economic Development in the Southern Regions of Georgia (2011–2015); a 9 Million Euro programme of Danida and SDC. In a second mission I formulated the project strategy on the potato value chain. The main planned activities are business development support, financial support (value chain based matching grants) and applied research and extension.
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- Georgian dairy which needs to be made EU compliant
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- Soviet style mechanisation is a major constraint
Participatory Extension Planning
June 9, 2009 by
Many manual and books have been written on participatory approaches, but most of them offer such a wide range of techniques and so many options that only experienced trainers can use them. In 1995, during my assignment in North Albania , I realised that more emphasis was needed on basic skills in Participatory Extension Planning (PEP). So I developed a one-week, on-the-job training of these basic skills. I wrote a Training Manual for it, as well as a Trainers’ Guide. [Read more…]
Farming system analysis of Mvumi, Dodoma region, in Central Tanzania
June 9, 2009 by
Upon completing my work in Mvumi I wrote a comprehensive analysis of the farming system. Special attention was paid to the impact of the removal of all ruminants in 1986 (due to dramatic overgrazing and erosion) and the subsequent introduction of zero grazing in 1990. The economic, ecological and social impact of this dramatic government action was assessed (incl. assessing the nutrient balance in the area, with and without ‘destocking’). Despite some uncertainties (e.g. the impact on malaria), the conclusion was that ‘destocking’, as a way to replace extensive grazing systems with zero grazing is an option that deserve much more (positive) attention then it gets at present. [Read more…]