Local economic development for agribusiness

1
Local economic development for agribusiness

• Workshop
• The Rural Poor and Tomorrows Markets
• Parma, Italy 23-24 June 2007

2
Local Economic Development (LED)

• LED includes activities for spatial growth and
  economic/commercial opportunities
• Local public and private sector stakeholders
  jointly plan and implement economic development
  activities
• Mainly aimed at improving local conditions for
  competitive businesses and efficient farmer -
  market linkages
• Does not include activities aimed at social and
  cultural development (LSD)

3
LED Advantages

• Facilitates community involvement in solving
  local constraints and identifying development
  opportunities
• Addresses shortcomings in services provided by
  national development institutions and companies
  to rural communities
• Helps to identify an appropriate uses of public
  resources
• Creates opportunities for enhanced private
  investments

4
Agribusiness Development in LED

• Addresses logistical, operational and
  bureaucratic constraints faced by entrepreneurs,
  farmers, traders
• Strengthens the positive impacts of national
  agricultural and agro-industrial policies
• Addresses local political, organisational and
  community contexts affecting markets
• Develops local skills, thus strengthening the
  competitiveness of local agribusinesses
• Strengthens relationships between associations to
  support agribusiness

5
Roles of Local Authorities and Organizations

• Key issues and actions

6
Programme Planning and Monitoring

• Identification of problems and needs in the local
  market
• Ensure measures to protect human health and
  environment
• Coordinate and monitor LED programme
  implementation
• Define criteria for land use
• Define policies related to the process of LEDs
  actions

7
Support to Local Communities

• Promote and support development of effective
  local farmers associations
• Explain rules, policies and regulations to local
  communities and associations
• Strengthen contacts and relationships between
  local communities and central government
  institutions
• Exchange technical assistance among members and
  between associations

8
Farmers Market Linkages

• Provide or improve market facilities
• Organize meetings to facilitate linkages between
  farmers and potential buyers
• Provide information to help farmers match
  production efforts to market demand and
  agro-industry requirements
• Provide advice and assistance in
  farmer-agribusiness contract negotiation

9
Private Sector Engagement

• Develop and support collaborative partnership
  with the private sector
• Serve as intermediary between central governments
  and the local private food sector
• Promote private investment
• Coordinate timing of public intervention and
  private initiatives

10
Moving Ideas into Action
11
Recent Conferences

• RUR-2 SYMPOSIUM Latin American rural territories
  and actors new practices and new management
  models, Brussels, April 2007
• International Conference Local and regional
  development to overcome poverty in Asia, 22 to
  24 November 2006, Vientiane, Laos PDR
• Local Agro-Food Systems Networks Third
  International Congress Food and Territories
  ALTER 2006, October, 18th-21st, 2006, Baeza
  (Spain)

12
Selected Internet Resources

• AGSF http//www.fao.org/ag/ags/home/en/agsf.h
  tml
• Food into Cities Collection http//www.fao.org/
  ag/sada.htm
• Other FAOs Web sites http//www.rlc.fao.org/en/
  desrural/regional/default.htm
  http//www.rlc.fao.org/prior/desrural/f
  ao-bid/des/

13
On-line capacity building

• FODEPAL (distance-learning courses)
• El enfoque territorial del desarrollo regional
  http//www.fodepal.org/Cursos/DREIIsem06/DRE
  3.htm
•  
• Políticas de gestión de pequeñas y medianas
  organizaciones empresariales
  http//www.fodepal.org/Cursos/PGOIIsem06/PGO3.htm