A Manual for Agribusiness Value Chain Analysis in Developing Countries

Part 1: Our Approach to Value Chain Thinking and Analysis

Part 2: Conducting Value Chain Analysis

Part 3: Case Studies

Part 4: Further Reading and Biographies

Benjamin Dent

Dr. Benjamin Dent specializes in improving agri-food supply chains’ competitiveness through building collaboration and better understanding of both business customers and consumers. He has worked with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and the World Vegetable Center on projects in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique, and he is Lead Facilitator for the annual Australia Awards Africa Agribusiness short course, including leading delivery of the program in Ghana. He has also worked extensively with farmers and agri-food companies in Australia, Canada and the UK, where he is based. In addition, he has 12 years’ experience of working in the UK government on agriculture, food and environment policies; and currently chairs the UK Soil Association’s Standards Board, which certifies a market worth over £1.4b/year. His publications include co-authoring A Guide to Value Chain Analysis and Development for Overseas Development Assistance Projects and Food Waste: Aligning Government and Industry within Value Chain Solutions. He is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at The University of Queensland and a Senior Associate at Value Chain Management International.

Ray Collins

Emeritus Professor Collins was the Agribusiness Group Leader in the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences at the University of Queensland until 2014, and retained an appointment as Professor of Agribusiness until 2016, when he became Emeritus Professor. Professor Collins has 30 years’ experience working with new industries with a special interest in linking small independent farmers with markets and consumers. He developed one of the first research programs that adopted an integrated view of the production, marketing and human resource challenges of new industries. Along with Associate Professor Tony Dunne, Professor Collins codeveloped the “Walking the Chain” participatory research and training method. He has applied this method in developing country projects in Pakistan, the Philippines, China and Vietnam. Currently, he is the Course Director of the annual Australia Awards Africa Agribusiness short course, member of the International Advisory Panel to the New Zealand government’s Our Land and Water Science Challenge, and Chair of the external reference group to a $16m Australian research program investigating innovative technologies for tracking horticultural produce quality through export chains. He has published over 100 refereed papers and book chapters, supervised approximately 20 PhD and 30 Masters students, and has been a recipient of University of Queensland and National Excellence in Teaching Awards.