TAILOR MADE COURSE ON VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT

BACKGROUND
The origins of market development emerge from the recognition that many development
interventions have not succeeded in producing sustainable outcomes which have incorporated the
poor within the economic mainstream. The goal of value chain and market development is to
“make markets work for the poor”.
Through value chain development programs, practitioners empower small businesses to sell to
more stable, higher volume or higher value markets. This occurs by linking SEs with the range of
businesses in the value chain and with support service providers and other stakeholders to
increase the competitiveness of the industry and increase the benefits for low-income SEs.
By improving the access of the poor to markets, facilitating a better functioning of markets and by
A one week tailor made course promoting the flow of knowledge and resources along value chains to small enterprises and poor
for project implementers and producers, value chain interventions can enable the working poor to benefit more from market
policy makers development and take advantage of some of the opportunities offered by domestic and global
markets.
Focusing on the value chain and the linkages between the firms as well as the service markets and
enabling environment questions, VC analysis allows to diagnose underlying constraints affecting
the performance of the chain as a whole, mobilize stakeholders through their involvement in
diagnosis and problem solving and support more effective relationships between firms in the chain.
The ILOs focus here is on how to use the above mechanisms to create more and better jobs in
these chains.

A FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTED COURSE

The course will be designed in line with the organisation’s needs including:
 Adaptation to the local environment, the economic sector and participant’s profile.
 Selection of training methodologies: analysis of case studies, role plays, space for
experiences exchanges; learner centred dynamic activities and study visits.
 Focus in enhancing the projects and programmes the participants are working on in real
life
 Analysis of best practises on employment intensive case studies promoting decent work
and improved working conditions.

PARTICIPANTS
The course is highly relevant for professionals conducting small enterprise development through
value chains and business development service markets. It is targeted to professionals working in
the following fields of practice: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise development; Value Chain
Finance; Inclusive Markets development; Private Sector Development; Agricultural development;
Local Economic Development; Livelihood security; Employment and Microfinance.
PROGRAMME

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

SUPPORT TEAM
Overview to Value Chain Programme Implementation
enterprise selection design of Market Action plans The course will be facilitated by ILO experts and leading
development Development international experts in the enterprise development field with
through Market Sustainable programmes
Value assessment Solutions practical experience in value chain development and the
Chains and Market entry and challenges of implementing systemic approaches.
BDS Value Chain Business market exit
assessment Models EXPERIENCE
Optional
Modules
The ILO has implemented more than 15 courses either at the
Study Visits ITC ILO campus in Turin, Italyi or in the field (Uganda,
Nigeria, Costa Rica, Sudan, Philippines and Ethiopia) in
partnership with ILO regional offices, one UN programmes
and UNDP. Training has so far been delivered to more than
460 practitioners from the private sector, development
GOAL agencies, UN agencies, researchers and training institutes,
The one week course will assist participants to better microfinance institutions and commercial banks, chambers of
understand the concept of Value Chain Development and to commerce and government officials.
explore international best practice in this area. At the end of
this training participants will be able to: CERTIFICATION
 Get an understanding of the laying foundations of At the end of the course participants will be awarded with an
Market development and Value Chain official ITC ILO certificate.
Development.
 Position Value Chain development in the overall
field of Private Sector Development
 Understand the ILO’s value added in Value Chain
Development with a focus on how to create more
and better jobs in specific market systems.
 Undertake a basic market assessment for value
chain development programs. Focus on how–to of
designing effective market research, choosing
information collection tools
 Design sustainable and effective development
programs for VC interventions, by determining what CONTACT
type of interventions are needed in the value chain, Joel Alcocer
be it on business services, financial services or Private Sector specialist
improving the business environment. International Training Centre of the ILO
 Gender considerations will be highlighted in the [email protected]
intervention design and throughout the course
Merten Sievers
Value Chain coordinator
METHODOLOGY
ILO HQ Geneva
An action-oriented, participative approach will be adopted [email protected]
throughout the workshop. Emphasis will be placed on
sharing experiences and best practices - in the search for
innovative and practical solutions to problems and
i Learn about the ITC ILO at http://www.itcilo.org/en/the-centre/about-us
challenges, and how the value chain approach can contribute
to problem solving
Learn more about ILOs Value Chain development tools here: www.ilo.org/valuechains