Online guide to USAID's approach to selecting value chains and good practice guidance.
Value chain selection is the process of prioritising industries or value chains based on criteria including their potential for growth and competitiveness, impact, and contribution to other development objectives such as conflict mitigation or women's empowerment. A number of methodologies are highlighted for comparing competitiveness between value chains. The guide then explains the process of value chain selection. Each criteria is broken down into several constituent elements. Data is then collected for each of these, primarily from secondary sources where available and reliable, and supplemented by primary research. After the sub-criteria are assessed for each value chain, a ranking matrix is generally used to compile the information gathered, analyse the implications and prioritise one or more value chains.
Useful for:
Donors, programme managers or consultants considering which market systems programmes should focus on.