Abstract
October 19, 2006.
Jake Walter1, country director for TechnoServe / Mozambique presented, “What Drives Competitiveness in the Mozambique Cashew Value Chain.” The seminar was the 14th in a series sponsored by the USAID Microenterprise Development office. Walter began his presentation by outlining the global market for cashews – a market in which Mozambique used to be number one but is now barely in the top ten, with India and Vietnam greatly outperforming them and the rest of the world.He went on to discuss how TechnoServe has worked to help restore Mozambique’s prominence and thereby create opportunities for financial gain at all levels of the value chain. His team is achieving this by addressing key constraints at critical points within the chain through:
- Firm-level upgrading through the development and diffusion of an optimal production model through farmer groups and other stakeholders, as well as intensive technical assistance and training
- Training in quality testing for multiple stakeholders including farmers, farmer groups, traders, and factories
- Enabling environment support to establish the development of a government-backed loan guarantee for cashew processors and an industry-specific wage agreement
- Working with the industry to identify and develop a strong relationship with an internationally based end market broker
- Inter-firm cooperation through the establishment of a single brand – Zambique – under which all participating smallholder suppliers, producers, processing plants, workers, traders, and wholesalers operate
The sum of these and other TechnoServe efforts has been a dramatic increase in the competitiveness of Mozambique cashews on the global market and increases in the real incomes of everyone in the chain.
1 Mr. Walter is an agribusiness executive with over seventeen years experience in establishing and managing profitable businesses and business relationships in Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and Latin America. His knowledge of business strategy, competitive position and market development has been successfully applied to helping entrepreneurs identify opportunities to build profitable, growth-oriented businesses. As current country director for TechnoServe/Mozambique Mr. Walter provides vision and strategic direction in implementation of a business development program, focusing on identifying industries in which Mozambique has global competitive advantages. Mr. Walter received his MA in History of Science and Technology at the University of California at Berkeley, and his BA in History of Science and Technology at University of California at Santa Cruz.