Market Analysis & Development


Market Analysis and Development (MA&D) is a participatory training approach designed to assist local people in developing income-generating enterprises while conserving tree and forest resources.

How does MA&D work?

MA&D is comprised of a preliminary planning phase and four successive main phases. The training materials have been designed to be adaptable to various country contexts and useful for many different purposes and products. The MA&D materials include a Manual, which has been designed to help project management teams plan the development of tree and forest product-based enterprises using MA&D. Additionally, Field Facilitator Guidelines have been developed to assist field facilitators and entrepreneurs in their implementation of the approach. This map provides a visual step-by-step overview of the training and enterprise development process, while this brochure serves as a quick MA&D primer.

Preliminary phase ('Phase 0'): Setting the context:

  • Conduct background research and planning activities necessary prior to giving support to tree and forest product-based enterprise development (Phases 1 through 4)

Phase 1: Assessing the existing situation:

  • Assess the existing situation
  • Develop an understanding of the issues and problems
  • Define opportunities
  • Develop an initial short-list of products

Phase 2: Carrying out surveys to select products and identify enterprise ideas:

  • Identify products, markets and means of marketing
  • Develop a more refined short-list of products
  • Decide on the best products and gather information for the further development of those products

Phase 3: Preparing the enterprise development plan:

  • Prepare enterprise development plans
  • Formulate strategies and identify services to ensure sustainable development of the enterprise

Phase 4: Supporting the start-up phase of the enterprises:

  • Start up the enterprise
  • Obtain additional training and, if necessary, assistance to start enterprise activities at a pilot level
  • Monitor and evaluate the enterprise's development

Unique features of the MA&D process:

  • targets all economic levels
  • considers natural resources and users
  • applicable to micro/small-scale enterprises dependent on community-owned natural resources, raw materials grown on private lands, and licensed state-owned natural resources
  • promotes collaboration between rural entrepreneurs and facilitators to enhance small entrepreneurial capacity from the outset
  • systematically includes and stresses linkages among social and environmental concerns alongside technological, commercial and financial aspects of small enterprise development
  • enables people to identify potential products and develop markets that will provide income and benefits without degrading their resource base
  • offers a planning framework for MFE development
  • builds strategic alliances between value chain actors and service providers 

 

 

last updated:  Friday, October 1, 2021