The participatory market chain approach: Stimulating innovations along the indigenous African leafy vegetables market chain

Indigenous African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs) play a significant role in alleviating hidden hunger and malnutrition and contribute to income security for smallholder farmers. However, their potential to contribute to food, nutrition and income security has not been fully realized due to dysfunctional market chains. The Participatory Market Chain Approach (PMCA), which aims to stimulate gender-responsive innovations in commodity chains, was used to improve the performance of ALVs market chains in central Uganda. This paper presents the results of applying the PMCA in a phased manner on the ALV commodity chain in the context of a collaborative research project implemented in central Uganda. Phase 1 of the project interfaced with 121 chain actors and subquently, 70 and 103 actors and stakeholders participated in phase 2 and phase 3 activities, respectively. Through this collaborative process, iterative learning, stronger linkages and trust were built amongst the chain actors leading to synergies that resulted in benefits to all. Commercial, technical and institutional innovations were generated including new products such as a nutritional powder made of dried Solanum aethiopicum, Baghia and an enriched peanut butter. A platform of 54 chain actors was formed to jointly address challenges and harness opportunities in the future. Process facilitators’ capacity to broker multi-stakeholder innovations was improved. New research areas related to cultivar descriptors for selected ALVs, postharvest management and business development support services emerged that triggered new research projects. The PMCA contributed to change in perceptions about ALVs, better incomes, knowledge and skills among market chain actors, establishment of beneficial linkages and improved capacity for innovation. The research re-emphasises the importance of a market approach towards improving and uplifting value chains of low profile crops which play a major role in sustaining livelihoods of smallholders farmers and women.