Marketing
From NTFP
Partners' Activities
ANSAB
Strengthening NTFPs Marketing Information System
Non-timber forest products (NTFP), which include hundreds of traded and locally used forest products of biological origin, employ millions of collectors, village traders and exporters in Nepal, at least seasonally. As inadequate access to information and marketing support was found undermining the incomes of rural communities and entrepreneurs, and constraining the NTFP subsector development, a marketing information system (MIS) was developed in 2001. Marketing information services to local producers, collectors and trades was disseminated through establishing 7 MIS centers and using multiple channels of communication. Different types of information, such as price, value addition options and sustainable harvesting techniques were provided to the target clients. The MIS system collected price information of 32 traded NTFPs/HVCs species from major markets in Nepal and India on a monthly and/or weekly basis. As a result, the bargaining power of local collectors, traders, and entrepreneurs increased and they received higher prices for their products.
CIBART
Developing Market access is an ongoing market development activity envisaged to act as a catalyst to promote community micro enterprises for their market promotion both in India and abroad on a sustained basis. This activity is being implemented on focus product approach to evolve specific strategy for specific market and specific product line through appropriate market assessments. Through this activity, business development assistance is being provided to all the four enterprises for enhancement of current market base through accessing new markets and through increasing the share in the existing markets. For further information, contact: Mr. Manu Mayank, CEO CIBART, mmayank.cibart(at)gmail.com
INBAR
European Marketing Initiative: The European Marketing Initiative aims to link affluent consumers and consumer organisations in Europe with poor producers and producer organisations in developing countries. Marketing and selling differ markedly - marketing is active, selling is passive. In order for bamboo products from little known sources to reach the consumer, and to remain there, marketing must be undertaken. Product development and design is a vital part of this - targeting products to consumers.
General Objective
1. Market research to identify markets, with a focus on the Italian market and private enterprise linkages
2. Product family identification and design development being done initially for the Italian and later the European market
3. South-North production-marketing linkages established to benefit the rural smallholder
4. Marketing in Italy and later in other locations in Europe
5. Research activities to promote development of bamboo as a material in Europe
Specific Objectives
1. Understand the state of the bamboo sector in Europe.
2. Product family identification and design development initially for the Italian and later the European market.
3. Identify market niches suitable for South-produced bamboo products.
4. Link South producers to North consumers and designers.
5. Develop Italian-style designer bamboo products and produce regular promotional material.
6. Develop, register and promote an INBAR trademark for sustainably and equitably produced (NRM, social, gender) bamboo products from INBAR projects.
7. Open an online shop for INBAR project produced products.
8. Conduct design and marketing training for INBAR project members.
9. Develop export market-based bamboo enterprises in IFAD loan projects.
10. Undertake action research to develop the potential of bamboo in European markets including:
a. Bamboo ecology including organic bamboo.
b. Bamboo technologies including construction of self-building houses for humans and animals (post-conflicts and post-natural disasters) and for bio-architecture.
c. Therapeutic effect of bamboo and potential for the pharmaceutical industry.
d. Bamboo as a source of food for humans and animals and potential for the feeding industry.
e. Bamboo and wildlife.
f. Teaching and training courses including distance learning and stages for designers from the South.
g. Link with bamboo research for development initiatives on-going or in pipeline in Europe.
Outputs
a. Information on the state of the art of the bamboo world in Europe.
b. Bamboo market niches identified.
c. Annual catalogues of Italian style - designer products based on simplicity and elegance.
d. Bamboo product exhibition in Rome.
e. Trained and empowered bamboo workers from the projects.
f. Small and medium size enterprises created in the South targeting, where possible, communities participating in IFAD loan financed projects.
g. INBAR a mark for INBAR marketable products.
h. INBAR virtual shop.
i. Products from the bamboo communities sold in Italian (and possibly other European markets).
j. Project documentation.
For further information click here or contact: Ms. Rebecca Reubens, rreubens(at)gmail.com.
North East India Marketing Report
