Value Chains
Increasing the trade capacity of regional value chains requires an in-depth understanding of:
- The overall competitiveness of the selected value chains;
- The challenges facing private stakeholders in those value chains; and
- How best to address those challenges, with the private stakeholders driving the process.
Strengthening private sector trade capacity is integrally linked to the policy/institutional work of SATH, which provides the fundamental enabling environment within which all value chains will operate. SATH will contribute to removing “export handicaps” and “hassle factors” imperiling trade within the region.
‘Sourcing at Magic’ is North America’s largest, most comprehensive garment/fashion sourcing event, featuring more than 800 apparel, accessories and footwear firms. SATH supported Formosa Textiles, a Lesotho denim and textile garment manufacturer, to exhibit at the Sourcing element of Magic, which exposed the company to hundreds of sourcing executives, designers, merchandising managers and private label buyers.
From March 5-9, SATH and the World Institute for Soy in Human Health (WISHH), a SATH grantee, facilitated the training of ten regional companies on animal feed manufacturing techniques, processes and trends at the International Grains Program (IGP) at Kansas State University (KSU). This is the first time feed manufacturers from the region have trained in the US.
SATH supported companies that attended the Fancy Food Show in Washington DC, in July 2011, recently reported orders and positive developments as a result of their participation. Rozendal Vinegar comments, “This is a great show for us and the exposure has been amazing”.
In Nampula, northern Mozambique, SATH explored areas of interest between agricultural commercial buyers and exporters on enhancing the economic empowerment of women farmers.
As a result of the 2011 SATH trade mission to Nampula and Zambezia Provinces, Mozambique, SA Groundnut, a South African company, established a production joint venture with Quilimane-based Madal SARL to conduct groundnut trials in the area. During the trade mission, Hector Lazarus of SA Groundnut was introduced to key groundnut role players in Mozambique and recognized the potential to expand the company’s production and trade footprint. With the assistance of the USAID-funded AgriFuturo Project, with whom SATH has a close working relationship, Mr. Lazarus was introduced to Madal and a memorandum of understanding was concluded between SA Groundnut, AgriFuturo and Madal allowing for groundnut trials to take place.
Activities