Integrated Value Chain Development: Evidence from Bangladesh

Agricultural productivity and farmer welfare in developing countries is constrained by a multitude of market imperfections. Value chain development (VCD) is receiving much attention as a market-based policy instrument that can potentially address multiple of these constraints simultaneously. This paper provides a conceptualization of VCD and discusses how VCD can be used as a policy instrument. As an illustration, the paper describes the VCD project "SAFAL," which uses an integrated approach to directly intervene in aquaculture, horticulture, and dairy value chains in South-West Bangladesh. The strategy is to first identify a demand downstream in the value chain and then to identify and reduce the constraints experienced by value chain actors upstream to meet this demand. Using a matched difference-in-difference methodology, this paper estimates farm household participation in SAFAL increases farm income and shortens the hungry season.