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7th Regional BDS Conference 2011 Ends Successfully
To address the fundamental development challenges of; generating economic growth while reducing poverty and ensuring maximum contribution of microenterprises, and to enhance the capacity of Value Chain stakeholders managing and coordinating Market Development Programs in the Region, and expand the pool of experts knowledgeable in Value Chain analysis and promotion, the BDS Donor Group (BDCG), through its secretariat - Micro Enterprise Support Program Trust (MESPT), organized a five - day workshop dubbed the 7th BDS Conference (an annual flagship event for the SME sector in the East African Region). This event was held at Sarova Whitesands Hotel, Mombasa, Kenya from 21st to 25th November 2011. The Conference took place in two phases. Phase one was a two - day training workshop starting from Monday, 21st to Tuesday 22nd November 2011. The training attended by over 80 trainess, presented the latest methodologies and practice for designing value-chain programs that incorporate strategies for sustainable impact. Participants learnt how to design programs that result in market-based solutions to MSME constraints such as market access, input supply, technology/product development, management training, policy reform, and access to finance. Examples from enterprise development programs and practitioners in Kenya and the entire East African region were used. The main topics covered included; Concepts and principles of value chains, emerging conceptual thinking on VCD, other market development principles, Understanding the poor in market systems, VCD market assessment, partnership coordination and target group support, Monitoring and evaluation of VCD programs. The training targeted those who wish to improve their facilitation skills and design programs that respect the latest thinking in value chain and pro-poor market development principles. The training was facilitated by a team of both locally and internationally renowned Value Chain Trainers and experts led by Heike Hoeffler and assisted by Joachim Webber and Ashford Ngugi who presented latest tools, concepts, and best practices from the field of enterprise development. The two day training targeted private and public organizations, Non Governmental Organizations, Financial Services Providers, Value Chain Facilitators and Practitioners, Policy Makers, Producers and Individuals whose vision for microenterprise development involves addressing the needs of Value Chain Players within the context of globalization, dynamic domestic and global markets, in order to help them harness the resources they need to participate meaningfully and take advantage of markets opportunities. The climax of the entire event was the last three day regional conference held from 23rd to 25th November 2011. The meeting drew the largest participation to date with over 130 participants and 27 presenters. The opening address by The Royal Danish Ambassador underlined the importance of facilitating the emergence of sustainable private sector-led business development services (BDS) along value chains. He said the approach has proven to be the most promising with a high impact on poverty reduction and outreach to the smallest producers. Some of the programs using this approach have come to be seen as important international models for successful projects because they clearly focus on the provision of complementary services which actually improve competitiveness and profitability by addressing market constraints along the entire value chains. He reiterated The Royal Danish Embassy’s Support of market development initiatives, pro-poor business development and information dissemination, through the Business Sector Program support now its second phase till 2015. The 8 breakout session presentations addressed emerging experiences and insights into key aspects of making value chains and markets work for the poor in the agricultural sector. Several presentations looked at East African examples of MSME development under approaches such as development of markets at the “Bottom of the Pyramid”, global, regional and local trends, key policy developments and emerging technology and value addition opportunities within the private sector-led businesses. Horizontal and vertical linkages in three sub-sectors of agriculture were explored during the market development session led by Land O’lakes Int, SNV and Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute. The producers and service providers through Maziwa Taita Trust, Dairy Cooperatives representatives and the director of ABS-TCM ltd. also outlined their achievements and challenges. The Value addition breakout discussed innovations in Milk, Vegetable and Fish processing with presentations made by Vegro Ltd, Association of Women in Fish Production while the policy discussions led by the Secretaries of Agriculture and Fisheries, together with the Managing Director of Kenya Dairy Board underlined the strides made by the Kenyan Government in creating enabling environment for businesses under the three sub-sectors. The last day of the conference tackled the topic of Value Chain Financing. The Value Chain Finance Centre Manager took the plenary through the concept and its emerging opportunities and challenges. Different financial Services providers led by Micro Enterprises Support Program Trust, Kenya Commercial Bank, Grameen Foundation, Kiva.org and Century Deposit Taking Microfinance Ltd, outlined their current experiences in delivery of services to MSEs. New forms of collateral are being used and new and unique loan products developed, but the challenge to scale up good practice in a cost effective manner remains. The scope of discussions and presentations at the 7th Regional conference stretched beyond Business Development Services to encompass the market systems within which these services are facilitated and delivered. The movement and use of whole value chain approaches over recent years correspond to the dynamism and innovation in the region in projects and programs on pro-poor private sector development. The array of conference topics also demonstrated understanding among key stakeholders of synergies and challenges in a systems approach to making markets using the value chain methodologies and procedures. This view was well reiterated and observed by the head of private sector development at the European Union Mr. Julien Bouzon during his conference closing remarks.
 
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