Charity Irungu St Paul’s University Developing the Value Chain for Neglected and Under-Utilized Species: A Case Study of Africa Leafy Vegetables around Nairobi

PRESENTATION OUTLINE Introduction: ALVs and Case study Developing a value chain for under-utilised species using a case study of ALVs in Kenya Lessons to draw from the case study Points for learning and teaching Agro- biodiversity in Universities

Introduction Over 210 ALV species Importance of ALVs – Health (nutritive and medicinal value) – Economic – Socio-cultural – Contribution to bio- diversity Introduction

Production for Market Irrigated African nightshade - Peri-urban Nairobi Flowering spider plant for seeds - Kisii

Commercialization of ALVs Low commercialization of ALVs in the mid 1990s This is attributed to a number of factors including - Low consumer perceptions (poor man’s crop) – Strong fear in Nairobi that ALVs were grown using waste water – Ignorance of nutritive value – Poor market outlets – Unavailability outside production areas and selected market outlet frequented by specific tribes – ITK on preparation and preservation eroded with time Introduction

Value Chain Activities Solar drying Moringa leaves by a farmers’ group in Kilifi Cowpeas leaves in Nkubu Market

Ambiguous role of Market development 1

Ambiguous role of Market development 2

Demand drivers of market development  Promotional and awareness activities  Increased general health awareness and consciousness among Nairobi people  Improved ALVs presentation in supermarkets and upmarket groceries Results

Supply drivers of market development  Production promotion in growing areas  Provision of external market support to farmers  Capacity for self organisation (farmers’ groups)  Vertical coordination through the supply chain  Improvement in communication technology Results

Inhibiting factors of ALV market dev Are mainly factors associated with market and policy failures Physical Infra-structural development -Poor Roads, lack of market space, storage facilities Lack of policy guideline and support from the government Lack of capacity to regulate supply Lack of value-adding aspects Lack of support services (credit, market information, etc.) Results

Lessons from the case study Exploratory survey (Biodiversity) Value chain, supply chain and market potential analysis Influence demand and match it with supply Capacity building for horizontal coordination (producer organizations) Improve traditional markets Link the POs to high value supply chains Influence policy in favour of SSF and pro-poor marketing Rural support services

Learning points in the Agro-biodiversity studies (value chain development ) Biodiversity conservation (what/why) Marketing issues and the market system Pro-poor growth, market and rural livelihoods Agro-value chain analysis and management Agribusiness supply chain Group organisation /capacity building Support Services in Agro-value chains Public Policy analysis and influence