Marketing of Agroforestry Tree Products (AFTPs)

Goal: To improve the marketing of and demand for Agroforestry Tree Products (AFTPs)

Objectives
TM3.1 Market Research
Improved understanding of principles, practices and policies of tree product markets, and best marketing practices developed and promoted.

TM3.2 Tree Product Development
Tree Product Directories produced and updated, and networks facilitated to undertake tree product research and create enterprise models for small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs, especially within public-private partnerships. Outputs

• Tree product market information baselines
• Tree product demand forecasting
• Tree product quality characterisation (a la Prokarite)
• Cocoa agroforestry research in SE Asia and WCA-AHT
• Generic business plans for nursery operators
• Enterprise development research (nurseries, cultivation, transformation, marketing, associations)
• Standards development (brands, policies, certification)

This focal area links to CGIAR System Priorities 3a (Increasing income from fruit and vegetables).

Whilst this area holds much promise for ICRAF and generates considerable excitement we have little capacity here. The core budget used for Diane Russell’s salary was not as anticipated reserved for hiring an IRS in marketing. ICRAF needs to fund for approx 18-24 months on core a new position in marketing since the current TM leader cannot handle all the tasks. It would be expected that person should generate their own staff cover after that time.

The Agroforestree Product Opportunity Centre also holds much promise but equally won’t progress much until we have an IRS on board t manage it. The best chance for it in the interim is for us to call it a virtual global support unit that is comprised of current relevant projects (e.g. Allanblackia, cocoa, shea, jungle rubber).

We have a draft conceptual framework now but TM Theme Office has received no feedback from the regions. We need to discuss and advance this as a priority.

It will be valid for ICRAF itself to engage in market studies for AFTPs but most importantly will be development of methods and tools fro others to do this. Generic Rapid Market Appraisal Tools and Market Intelligence Systems need to be developed and tested with the regions.

Our work with Private Sector is gaining momentum and we need to reach out to more companies who may be interested in joint business ventures or corporate social responsibility.