Publications

This case study describes the transformation of coffee cooperative COCAMU from being a donor driven association to a business oriented cooperative. COCAMU’s mission is to contribute to a positive change in the livelihoods of its members through the improvement of quality and quantity of the coffee production, and accessing better markets. SNV Rwanda has been providing capacity development services, with the aim of strengthening the organisational and institutional capacities of COCAMU in the coffee industry.

Ninety per cent of the household in Samburu District practice traditional pastoralism. For most pastoralists, livestock is not produced for subsistence alone, but livestock sales ensure conversion of the livestock value to cash currency when the need arises. However, as is common in most pastoralist communities, inefficiencies in livestock value chain result in low returns for producers. SNV, in partnership with Samburu Integrated Development programme (SIDEP), a local NGO, and Samburu County Council explored establishing primary markets with the aim of increasing income for producers and the county council, without compromising the quality of the produce. This case describes the successes and lessons learned from this business model.

This case study focuses on the northern part of Ghana, where for many women the main source of income is the production of shea butter processed from shea nuts. In order to create alternative funding sources for female shea harvesters, SNV supported the development of a community-based micro finance initiative ‘Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). SNV provided capacity-building to more than 480 VSLAs, equipping them with the skills to manage their own saving and credit system, and enabling them to engage in contractual arrangements.

In West Africa, domestic investors acquire plots of farm land using their connections, powers and resources. Some policy makers view these investments as a shift towards agribusiness and state that these “new actors” will modernise and professionalize farming and smallholders are asked to make space. Who are those new actors, how did they obtain the land, under what conditions, and how are they investing? Why are authorities engaging in these land transactions and what are the consequences for local farming, rural livelihoods and the environment? This paper presents results of a 2010 survey on the acquisition of rural land by agro-investors in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. It explores implications for agricultural “modernisation” and discusses local responses to regulate this phenomenon.

A capability statement concerning our work on Agriculture in Africa which focuses on equity and growth for smallholders.

Although they do not receive much recognition, agro-dealers are major economic drives in rural areas. This case describes SNV’s experiences with the Rural Agriculture Revitalisation Programme (RARP). The programme is designed with other partners to encourage wholesalers to avail inputs to smallholder farmers by placing inputs in agro-dealer stores close to rural farmers. The programme is operating in all eight rural provinces of Zimbabwe.

Cette fiche thématique constitue un extrait de l’étude en question, elle présente de manière spécifique les principaux défis que les acteurs de l’élevage sahélien doit relever pour poursuivre son développement dans le contexte économique actuel.

Cette fiche thématique est un extrait de l’étude en question. Elle présente de manière spécifique les données présentées concernant les flux et la demande urbaine.

Cette fiche thématique constitue un extrait de l’étude en question, elle présente de manière spécifique: les acteurs des filières bétail sur pied – diversité, savoir-faire, intérêts communs, stratégies d’alliances et concurrences.

Cette fiche thématique est un extrait de l’étude en question. Elle présente de manière spécifique les enseignements tirés des expériences d’appui à l’implication des organisations d’éleveurs dans la gestion des marchés à bétail.

La présente note thématique est basée sur les expériences de la SNV en matière d’appui aux pasteurs en Afrique, en vue d’améliorer leurs moyens d’existence. Elle se fonde sur une large gamme d’études de cas qui, à travers le continent, mettent en évidence un certain nombre de traits communs aux
pratiques des pasteurs. La collaboration avec les pasteurs nous a appris qu’ils ne sont pas les traditionalistes que l’on décrit souvent. Ils s’adaptent au changement rapide comme tout autre groupe en Afrique. La présente note met en exergue l’éventail de stratégies d’adaptation, d’options de commercialisation et de mécanismes institutionnels qui ont cours à l’heure actuelle au sein de ces communautés. Ces expériences démontrent que le travail de la SNV a permis d’apporter des améliorations  tangibles aux moyens d’existence des éleveurs, tout en augmentant leur contribution au développement écon omique dans certains des milieux les plus difficiles en Afrique aujourd’hui.

Démarche méthodologique pour la formulation de projets.

This report presents the findings of a study conducted Nov-Dec 2012, in the traditional cattle keeping areas of Zambia. The focus on the study was on untapped milk originating from the traditional cattle sector, with the aim of ensuring a stable and reliable supply for processors in Zambia and an income to smallholder farmers. The overall objective was to provide a solid basis for making informed decisions about interventions in the traditional/smallholder dairy sub-sector related to improving production, animal husbandry practices and milk marketing. The study demonstrates that traditional cattle farmers can supply a substantial amount of milk to support demand in the country, as well as enhance the utilisation capacity of milk processors. Information from the report will be useful for NGOs, the Zambian government and donors, as it enables to identify gaps in the value chain which they can strengthen, and support income generation.

This manual was written for primary school pupils and primary school leavers in the banana growing valleys of Zimbabwe. It is designed to equip the pupil or school leaver with basic skills and knowledge needed to grow bananas commercially. It gives suggestions on how to grow bananas, and recommendations on how to make a business out of growing and selling them.