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Strengthening value chains as an industrial policy instrument. Methodology and experience of ECLAC in Central America

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Strengthening value chains as an industrial policy instrument. Methodology and experience of ECLAC in Central America

Autor institucional: NU. CEPAL. Subsede de México - German Society for International Cooperation Physical Description: 360 p.; grafs., tabls. Editorial: ECLAC, FIDA Date: January 2014 ECLAC symbol: LC/G.2606-P ISBN: 9789211218404 (printed)

Description

In recent years, ECLAC has received official requests from governments in the region for technical assistance for designing and implementing industrial policies. In response, the Commission has developed and applied a methodology based on value chains, which has enabled it to identify targeted intervention strategies, with clear, coordinated lines of action. Value chains can be strengthened by supporting all their stakeholders, especially small producers, which in turn helps to close structural gaps. In 2013, ECLAC worked jointly with governments and the private sector in Central America to study and design strategies for four value chains: shrimp farming and synthetic fibres sportswear in El Salvador and vegetables and fine woods in Guatemala. Small producers play a central role in these chains, which include cooperatives formed by ex-combatants of civil wars, small farmers’ cooperatives and cooperatives that operate sustainable forest concessions. This book sums up the technical assistance work conducted in these two countries and systematizes the methodology used to disseminate it and facilitate its replication. Within a relatively short space of time (eight months on average), the technical assistance provided by ECLAC led to the launch of specific public initiatives for strengthening value chains, with the support of government officials at the highest level.

Table of contents

Foreword .-- Introduction .-- I. The revival of industrial policy .-- II. Methodology of the ECLAC-GIZ project for the design of value chain strengthening strategies .-- III. Stakeholder dialogues for building joint public-private development strategies .-- IV. The shrimp aquaculture chain in El Salvador .-- V. The synthetic fibre-sports apparel value chain in El Salvador .-- VI. Non-traditional export vegetable chain in Guatemala .-- VII. The wood-products value chain of the forestry concessions of Petén, Guatemala .-- VIII. Comparative analysis of value chain strengthening processes and final remarks.