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.

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.

Pineapple cultivation holds great potential for improving farmers’ livelihoods, if they can control diseases. An outbreak of pineapple wilt in the Western region of Uganda made many small-scale producers stop growing the crop, not knowing how to manage the wilt. This case describes how SNV worked to re-energize the process with the help of large regional producer groups and local researchers. Increasing producers’ confidence in their abilities to manage wilt was essential.

Livestock is the most promising source of livelihoods in the South Western parts of Zimbabwe. Farmers face however acute animal feed shortages during the dry season. The case highlights how SNV aided farmers in storing the surplus foliage material that is available during the rainy season, as well as crop residues. This was done through establishing a multi-stakeholder platforms and teaching farmers through farmer field schools.

For technical and professional services to be delivered, producers, buyers, providers and financiers of services need to connect with each other. This case describes the outcomes of a one-day market event organised by the Local Capacity Development Fund (LCDF) with support from SNV. Participants displayed what they had on offer and were encouraged to interact and exchange ideas, knowledge, innovations and solutions.

This case study describes how a local market fair for services helped to bring about transparency and connections for actors in the segmented value chains of non-timber forest products. The case describes how and why the fair was organised and presents statistics highlighting its success.

The document presents the summaries of the 12 case studies used to illustrate SNV practices which contributed to the writing of the practice brief N° 4 focusing on Gender and Agriculture (see: www.snvworld.org/en/sectors/agriculture/publications/gender-and-agriculture-practice-brief). The summaries provide an insight of the gender issue and what practices SNV implemented to address to this specific constraint. The document also offers you hyperlinks at the end of each summary to enable you read the full intervention.

Cashew continues to be a small but important cash income to small farm households that mainly produce subsistence crops (maize). The now revived local processing industry constitutes a significant source of employment and income, both for men and women, in rural areas. In this case, SNV has partnered with an organisation providing agricultural extension services (ADPP) and AMODER for microfinance. In addition, links are established with companies that out-source the processing of cashew. Although financial benefits at present are relatively small, farmers appreciate the fact that they are associated to a program to boost cashew development.

Livestock production is key for the pastoralist Toposa people living in Eastern South Sudan. Their animals, especially cattle, are an important source of wealth and social prestige but this also makes them unwilling to sell the cattle, locking up the potentially valuable income that could help improve their lives. A local community group – Riwoto Cooperative Society – was set up to support the local community in improving the marketing of livestock, as well as selling animal products such as milk. SNV supported them with a series of activities aimed to help strengthen the cooperative’s capability, and ensure it continues to grow in size and effectiveness. Interventions helped shift opinions of community members, which has especially impacted women who now participate in livestock marketing – once a role traditionally taken on by men.