TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN FOOD MARKETING

TEAM WILL COLLECT DATA AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF MARKETING PROBLEMS AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF MARKETING PRACTICES IN DEVELOPING NATIONS. DURING FIRST STAGE OF PROJECT, PREVIOUS AGRICULTURAL MARKETING STUDIES WILL BE REVIEWED TO ASCERTAIN STATE OF THE ART IN PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION. AID-FINANCED STUDIES IN LATIN AMERICA BY MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND IN AFRICA BY STANFORD RESEARCH INSTITUTE WILL BE EXREMELY VALUABLE. STUDIES BY FAO, OECD, AND HOST COUNTRIES WILL BE UTILIZED AS WELL, AND WORKSHOPS WILL ASSEMBLE LEADING SPECIALISTS IN MARKETING AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION. TWO MAJOR REPORTS WILL BE PREPARED: 1)AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF AID-SUPPORTED MARKETING STUDIES AND 2)A STATE OF THE ART REPORT ON THE MARKETING OF FOOD CROPS. SECOND REPORT WILL IDENTIFY GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE, AREAS OF REQUIRED RESEARCH, AND METHODS TO BETTER DEFINE THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS OF A COUNTRY OR REGION. STUDY WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT COUNTRY DIFFERENCES WHICH WOULD AFFECT FORM AND EFFECTIVENESS OF MARKETING SYSTEM. HENCE, GROUP WILL PRODUCE SEVERAL MODELS OF MARKETING SYSTEMS TO IDENTITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS. METHODOLOGIED DEVELOPED IN SECOND REPORT WILL BE TESTED IN 2 OR 3 COUNTRIES WITH DIFFERENT MARKETING POLICIES BUT WHICH FIT THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: RECENT SHIFT FROM SUBSISTENCE TO MARKET-ORIENTED AGRICULTURE, SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN FOOD CROP PRODUCTION, AND SINGIFICANT ROLE IN ECONOMY OF REGION. AID, USDA, AND HOST GOVERNMENTS WILL PARTICIPATE, AND RESULTS WILL BE USED TO PLAN FOR PHASE II. DURING PHASE II, USDA WILL SUPPLY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, IDENTIFY NEEDED RESEARCH, ASSIST IN POLICY FORMATION IN RESPONSE TO SPECIFIC COUNTRY REQUESTS. USDA WILL ALSO RECOMMEND INDIGENOUS AND EXTERNAL RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, AND PERSONNEL FOR CONTINUED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. PROJECT SHOULD BENEFIT PRODUCERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND CONSUMERS IN DEVELOPING NATIONS.