Abstract
Development projects on interventions to reduce postharvest losses (PHL) are often implemented largely independently of the specific context and without sufficient adaptation to the needs of people who are supposed to use them. An approach is needed for the design and implementation of specific, locally owned interventions in development projects. Our approach is based on Participatory Development and includes Living Lab and World Cafés. We applied the approach in a case study on reducing PHL in tomato value chains in Nigeria. The approach consists of nine steps. After scoping the sector, selected value chain stakeholders (case: farmers, transporters, traders, retailers) were gathered in Living Lab workshops. In the workshop, participants analyzed the product, information, and monetary flows in their own value chain, identified causes for PHL, and selected potential interventions to reduce these (case: plastic crates instead of raffia baskets to transport tomatoes). Selected interventions were implemented, tested, and monitored in pilot projects with the workshop participants. This was followed by an evaluation workshop. At the end of the case study, 89% of participants bought crates to keep using them in their value chain. Our approach resulted in context-specific, locally owned interventions to reduce PHL in the case study on tomato value chains in Nigeria. Its application in other countries, commodities, or interventions is needed to determine the effectiveness of the approach in a broader scope.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 247 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Sustainability (Switzerland) |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 7 Jan 2019 |
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Keywords
- Behavioural change
- Context-specific interventions
- Nigeria
- Participatory approach
- Plastic crate
- Postharvest losses
- Raffia basket
- Supply chain
- Tomato
- Value chain development
Cite this
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Approach for designing context-specific, locally owned interventions to reduce postharvest losses : Case study on tomato value chains in Nigeria. / Plaisier, Christine; Sibomana, Milindi; van der Waal, Johannes; Clercx, Luud; van Wagenberg, Coen P.A.; Dijkxhoorn, Youri.
In: Sustainability (Switzerland), Vol. 11, No. 1, 247, 07.01.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Approach for designing context-specific, locally owned interventions to reduce postharvest losses
T2 - Case study on tomato value chains in Nigeria
AU - Plaisier, Christine
AU - Sibomana, Milindi
AU - van der Waal, Johannes
AU - Clercx, Luud
AU - van Wagenberg, Coen P.A.
AU - Dijkxhoorn, Youri
PY - 2019/1/7
Y1 - 2019/1/7
N2 - Development projects on interventions to reduce postharvest losses (PHL) are often implemented largely independently of the specific context and without sufficient adaptation to the needs of people who are supposed to use them. An approach is needed for the design and implementation of specific, locally owned interventions in development projects. Our approach is based on Participatory Development and includes Living Lab and World Cafés. We applied the approach in a case study on reducing PHL in tomato value chains in Nigeria. The approach consists of nine steps. After scoping the sector, selected value chain stakeholders (case: farmers, transporters, traders, retailers) were gathered in Living Lab workshops. In the workshop, participants analyzed the product, information, and monetary flows in their own value chain, identified causes for PHL, and selected potential interventions to reduce these (case: plastic crates instead of raffia baskets to transport tomatoes). Selected interventions were implemented, tested, and monitored in pilot projects with the workshop participants. This was followed by an evaluation workshop. At the end of the case study, 89% of participants bought crates to keep using them in their value chain. Our approach resulted in context-specific, locally owned interventions to reduce PHL in the case study on tomato value chains in Nigeria. Its application in other countries, commodities, or interventions is needed to determine the effectiveness of the approach in a broader scope.
AB - Development projects on interventions to reduce postharvest losses (PHL) are often implemented largely independently of the specific context and without sufficient adaptation to the needs of people who are supposed to use them. An approach is needed for the design and implementation of specific, locally owned interventions in development projects. Our approach is based on Participatory Development and includes Living Lab and World Cafés. We applied the approach in a case study on reducing PHL in tomato value chains in Nigeria. The approach consists of nine steps. After scoping the sector, selected value chain stakeholders (case: farmers, transporters, traders, retailers) were gathered in Living Lab workshops. In the workshop, participants analyzed the product, information, and monetary flows in their own value chain, identified causes for PHL, and selected potential interventions to reduce these (case: plastic crates instead of raffia baskets to transport tomatoes). Selected interventions were implemented, tested, and monitored in pilot projects with the workshop participants. This was followed by an evaluation workshop. At the end of the case study, 89% of participants bought crates to keep using them in their value chain. Our approach resulted in context-specific, locally owned interventions to reduce PHL in the case study on tomato value chains in Nigeria. Its application in other countries, commodities, or interventions is needed to determine the effectiveness of the approach in a broader scope.
KW - Behavioural change
KW - Context-specific interventions
KW - Nigeria
KW - Participatory approach
KW - Plastic crate
KW - Postharvest losses
KW - Raffia basket
KW - Supply chain
KW - Tomato
KW - Value chain development
U2 - 10.3390/su11010247
DO - 10.3390/su11010247
M3 - Article
VL - 11
JO - Sustainability
JF - Sustainability
SN - 2071-1050
IS - 1
M1 - 247
ER -