Environment and Energy

Actvities of the Market Access for Drylands Commodities

The Drylands Development Centre is implementing a three year intiative on improving market access for drylands commodities aimed at enhancing the economic situation and livelihoods of conditions of dryland populations. This project emphasizes the role of the market – of small scale enterprises, private sector and agro-pastoralists and/or pastoralists selling her/his products – in  the firm conviction that improved access to markets for dryland commodities will improve livelihood and contribute to reducing poverty in arid lands.

The project has carried out literature reviews and baseline surveys and assessments in the following areas: natural resources management; institutional capacity needs assessment and gender analysis; technology capacity assessment; evaluation of market linkages, inventory of existing micro-credit financing institutions and micro enterprises and conflict analysis. In addition, policy analysis studies looking at policies that impact on the production, utilization and marketing of drylands commodities in the Kenya , Tanzania and Uganda and in the region as a whole have been undertaken.

The objectives of the baseline surveys and assessments were to identify existing gaps in the capacity of communities and local institutions in the production, processing and marketing of drylands products. The baseline information gathered is being applied for the implementation of project activities and for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

A Sustainable Livelihoods Model (SLM) approach has been used for the baseline studies. This model focuses on the livelihoods of the communities (project beneficiaries). This was strengthened by specific methodologies for each theme. The information was obtained through surveys, assessments through focused group discussions, questionnaires and group workshops in all the communities in the four sites. The trading centres were also included in the surveys for the market analysis component. The following issues were addressed under each component:  

Market research : inventory of market opportunities for dryland commodities; that has included identification of the potential market demand levels for the identified drylands products, and identification of market pathways and linkages in all project sites. Local, regional and international marketing opportunities have also been identified. In addition information on poverty incidence in the districts has been collected.  

Financing systems : an assessment of constraints and opportunities for micro-credit was carried out concurrently with the market research.  

• Existing technology : assessment of existing technologies to identify existing drylands products, production processes and product development technology needs. In addition an environmental assessment as it relates to production and marketing of identified products was conducted (For further information click on the link).
• Gender analysis : identified gender roles in the communities-including division of labour, access to and control over resources, and potential impacts of the project on women and men. This was undertaken concurrently with the Capacity Needs Assessments (For further information click on the link).
• Conflict analysis : assessment on the impact of conflicts on production and marketing of drylands products in Turkana and Karamoja undertaken. This assessment also included analysis of the role of traditional institutions in resolving natural resource-based conflicts (For further information click on the link).

Improved management and utilization of natural resources : analysis and assessment of natural resource management practices in each of the four sites to identify strengthens, gaps and constraints was undertaken. 

Policy analysis: research and analysis of policies that impact on utilization and marketing of drylands products in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with a view to developing strategies for influencing national, sub-regional and international policies.

More on Market Access

• Synthesis Report on the baseline studies and the Policy Analysis Studies in the three countires
• Kenya Policy Study
• Uganda Policy Study
• Tanzania Consultancy Report
• Making Rural Markets work for the Poor: An EU funded project