On 26 October, GRET participated in a day of reflection and discussions on local artisan value chains, organised by Groupe initiatives (GI) . The majority of GI’s member organisations provide support for the emergence of artisan value chains with a view to promoting technical solutions that contribute locally to sustainable economic development and to strengthening the stakeholders involved. These value chains are part of a large range of activities rolled out by the GI members, such as distillation units with cost-effective stoves, effective new fuel options, ecological housing solutions, individual latrines, domestic cookers, etc.
The latter tackle common issues pertaining to the activity of a development NGO that aims, in particular, to strengthen stakeholders’ skills and create links between professions in the value chain to contribute to the emergence of a local market. The following questions arise:
- What are the various strategies for the emergence of a value chain?
- How to create links between stakeholders in the new value chain?
- What are the tools for understanding and analysing a value chain?
- What is the role of NGOs in the emergence of value chains? Should they be facilitators or stakeholders in the value chain? Should organisations take over certain functions in the value chain, or simply position themselves in a support role? What is the rightful place of support? What are the risks?
Groupe initiatives proposes collective reflection to draw lessons on the principles of intervention in the sector. It also proposes that recommendations be made for greater effectiveness of actions. This will give rise to the production of a publication in the Traverses collection (in French).
Reflections were focused on the field experiences of GRET, the Initiative Développement solidarity association, and Geres.
