Developing & Financing of Selected Value Chains in Mali: Research & Workshop Summary

This is a research and workshop summary presentation for the Developing and Financing Value Chains: Increasing their Productivity to Reduce Poverty workshop hosted by USAID's Microenterprise Development office (MD) and USAID Mali on April 10–13, 2007 in Bamako, Mali.

The workshop drew a wide variety of stakeholders, including banks, producers, transporters, and exporters, as well as donor and project staff, to discuss the competitiveness and finance issues of the tomato, potato, rice, and shallot value chains.

Topics included:

• End-market competitiveness in global and regional economies
• Constraints and Opportunities for each of the value chains
• The use of technology to increase finance and information flows
• The role of the private sector versus that of government and donors