In March 2023 the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) ran refresher training on the market analysis and development (MA&D) approach designed to enable local forest and farm producers to develop sustainable income-generating enterprises.

The FFF is committed to increasing entrepreneurship as well as access to markets and finance through business development services within forest and farm producer organisations (FFPOs), and FFPO members took part in a four-day online course about the MA&D approach.

This approach empowers local producers, manufacturers and traders to be primary actors in planning and developing equitable and sustainable enterprises.

The MA&D methodology is based on participatory principles and empowerment rather than on direct intervention in people’s livelihoods. It uses a facilitative approach to help ‘entrepreneurs’ rather than ‘beneficiaries’ know and control all elements of their enterprises.