Branding for development

For development practitioners branding is a logical next step in the renewed focus of the development sector on market access for small producers, but knowledge on how branding can be used in a development context is still limited.....read more in Branding for development: desk research into the value of branding for development

This working paper by Marije Boomsma & Michiel Arnoldus is part of the first steps that KIT has taken for it's branding for development programme. It examines the potential of branding for small enterprises in the South as a tool to increase their product sales, improve their margins and increase their power in the value chain.

In it's value chain projects with small producers, KIT focuses on organising farmers and improving their business processes, e.g. sorting, cleaning, grading and packaging. The space for improving their revenues tends to be limited however, as often the highest profit margins are to be found downstream the chain, at the levels of manufacturing, marketing and retailing. And these activities are often already performed by existing players who will not easily give up their market positions. What then about accessing markets with higher margins? Important strategies in value chain development are for instance producing/manufacturing/going & growing organic and fair trade. However, even if small producers manage to access high value export markets, they still depend on world market prices, trade policies and exchange rates. Wholesalers and importers can easily replace one supplier for another undermining the (small scale) farmers’ negotiation power. Farmers are still marketing commodities; their products remain largely undifferentiated and invisible to the end consumer. KIT therefore looks into the role that branding for development could play to change this. Under KIT's involvement you will find more information about the branding for development Under KIT's involvement you will find more information about the branding for development activities undertaken.