CGIAR Initiative on Market Intelligence

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/117894

Part of the CGIAR Action Area on Genetic Innovation

Primary CGIAR impact area: Gender equality, youth and social inclusion

https://www.cgiar.org/initiative/05-market-intelligence-for-more-equitable-and-impactful-genetic-innovation/

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SOP for water absorption capacity and cooking time in beans
(Report, 2025-01) Manzano, Kelly Tatiana; Soto Betancourt, Fabricio; Gallego Castillo, Sonia
This standard operating procedure (SOP) describes the stages involved in the process of estimating the water absorption capacity and cooking time of bean grain samples, using a Mattson Bean Cooker
Accelerating agricultural technology adoption: Validating recent research insights with research partners in Kenya
(Blog Post, 2024-12-23) Kramer, Berber; Kilonzi, Emily
This report explores the accelerating adoption of agricultural technologies in Kenya, focusing on the validation of recent research insights through collaboration with local research partners. With agriculture being a key sector in Kenya's economy, the adoption of innovative agricultural practices and technologies is crucial to enhancing productivity, sustainability, and food security. The study highlights key findings from recent research on barriers to technology adoption, including financial constraints, knowledge gaps, and infrastructure limitations. By engaging with Kenyan agricultural researchers and practitioners, the report identifies strategies to address these barriers, facilitate broader adoption of technology, and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Insights from this collaboration are essential for informing policy decisions and supporting programs aimed at fostering sustainable agricultural development in the region.
Consumer traits key to success of new crop varieties
(News Item, 2024-12-16) Nakandi, Jacqueline
This article examines the importance of understanding consumer traits for the successful introduction and adoption of new crop varieties in Uganda. As agriculture evolves, the development of high-yield, resilient crop varieties is essential to improving food security and farmer incomes. However, the success of these innovations is not solely dependent on their agricultural performance; it also requires an understanding of consumer preferences, taste, and market demand. The study highlights how aligning new crop varieties with consumer needs can enhance market acceptance and drive adoption by farmers. It also discusses the role of consumer research in guiding the breeding process and ensuring that new crops meet both market and dietary requirements. By addressing these consumer traits, agricultural innovation can be better positioned for success, contributing to sustainable agricultural development and economic growth in Uganda.
How we used coordinated trials and meta-analysis to evaluate interventions to increase varietal turnover
(Blog Post, 2024-12-19) Kramer, Berber; Trachtman, Carly; Wiecek, Witold
This blog post details the use of coordinated trials and meta-analysis to evaluate interventions aimed at increasing varietal turnover in agriculture. The study focuses on the challenge of slow adoption and limited turnover of new crop varieties, which can hinder agricultural productivity and resilience. By coordinating trials across multiple regions and integrating data through meta-analysis, the research team was able to assess the effectiveness of various interventions designed to accelerate varietal adoption. The findings highlight the importance of context-specific strategies and the role of market incentives, extension services, and farmer engagement in promoting the uptake of improved varieties. The approach underscores the value of rigorous, collaborative research in guiding evidence-based policy decisions that can enhance agricultural innovation and food security.
Investment prioritization in WP1|TARGET
(Poster, 2024-10) Demont, Matty; Lenaerts, Bert; Paguirigan, Neale; Connor, Melanie
Since TPP design is costly and costs need to be borne by the breeding pipeline, TPPs are only required for funded market segments. TPP design for high-priority, funded market segments requires investment in collection, synthesis and outsourcing of state-of-the-art market intelligence evidence. Unfunded market segments (MS) require pipeline investment cases to either (1) convince breeders to reallocate funding from funded to unfunded MS; or (2) convince donors to fund new breeding pipelines aiming at serving unfunded MS. We propose a decision tree for the prioritization of investment in market intelligence evidence. Investment in the identification of current and future market segments (MS) has the highest priority. Current MS need to be projected to the future through economic foresight, crop, climate change and pest/disease modeling. Unserved current and future MS need to be identified. Investment in collection, synthesis and outsourcing of state-of-the-art market intelligence evidence to inform TPP design for high-priority, funded market segments has the second highest priority. Finally, investment in collection, synthesis and outsourcing of state-of-the-art market intelligence evidence to inform pipeline investment case building for high-priority, unfunded market segments has the third highest priority.
Market intelligence for rice, sorghum and yam in Benin and Ghana: Key findings from 2024 surveys
(Poster, 2024-10) Adinsi, L.; Agey-Holmes, A.; Akissoe, N.; Amma Asante-Poku, N.; Anihouvi, E.; Bouniol, A.; Dufour, D.; Honfozo, L.; Hotegni, F.; Maki Sy, M.; Mbeguie, D.; Mendez del Villar, P.; Ofosu Krofa, E.; Pede, P.; Soullier, G.; Tran, T.; Wilson, G.
Rice, sorghum and yam all play a crucial role in food security across West Africa, being consumed in various forms at every meal, both in rural and urban areas. Value chains and markets of these three major crops are constantly evolving due to societal and environmental factors such as growing urban populations, changing consumer preferences and changes in suitable agricultural areas in relation with the climate crisis. In order to support breeding programs in anticipating emerging requirements in terms of crop agricultural performance, processing ability and end-product quality, the CGIAR Initiative on Market Intelligence and Product Profiles (MIPPI) develop survey methods adapted for the collection and analysis of market information and users’ preferences data. In this poster, we summarize the key findings of a regional study of rice, sorghum and yam value chains in Benin and Ghana and provide an informational basis on market trends and key preferred quality traits to support breeding activities and varietal adoption
Pathways to resilient dryland food systems in Africa: Strategic and tactical choices for accelerated impacts
(Report, 2024) Marenya, Paswel P.; Narmandakh, Davaatseren; Kirui, Leonard; Odhong, Jonathan A.; Sanni Abdulrahman; Aboudoulaye, Soule B.; Adam, Mamadou; Alex, Gerald; Belko, Marème N.; Bett, Charles; Dembele, Bandiougou; Derik, Sakatali P.; De Pee, Eric; Diatta, Cyril; Faye, Ndeye F.; Gichuru, Lilian; Kone, Bouréma; Kazombo, Samson F.M.; Kisilu, Rachael; Mchau, Devotha; Martey, Edward; Mbulwe, Lloyd; Ndubi, Jerika M.; Templer, Noel A.; Ouédraogo, Nofou; Opie, Hellen; Puozaa, Doris K.; Reoungel, Djinodji; Salegua, Venancio; Sawadogo-Compaoré, Eveline; Sime, Mekonnen; Zemedu, Lemma
Africa’s drylands form vital food systems, supporting a significant portion of its population and agricultural activity. However, they face persistent challenges with low productivity, limited market integration, and acute vulnerability to climate shocks. These issues contribute to structural poverty and high rates of undernourishment, highlighting the need for investments to improve rural incomes, enhance resilience, and foster economic growth.
Transdisciplinary approaches to target product profile (product concept) design: NARES-IRRI partnerships in Africa
(Poster, 2024-10) Mangwana, Kennedy; Dixit, Shalabh; Menge, Daniel; Panchbhai, Ajay
Rice is becoming an increasingly important food and commercial crop in many African countries, driven by shifts in dietary habits and population growth. In 2023, Africa’s self-sufficiency stood at around 60%, leading to substantial imports to meet the growing demand. To maximize return on investment in research and the deployment of new climate-resilient varieties, key target market segments, their sizes, and impact possibilities have been identified for East and Southern Africa (ESA) where four key market segments have been mapped i.e. TMeLS-R, TMeLS-I, TMeLS-I (salinity) and DELS-R. To provide valuable insights and feedback on these market segments and their corresponding target product profiles, transdisciplinary teams have been engaged to assess market needs, guide breeding efforts, and ensure the alignment of new rice varieties with the specific demands of each segment. These transdisciplinary teams, comprising agronomists, breeders, economists, social scientists and market experts, collaborated to integrate scientific knowledge with practical insights from farmers, consumers, millers, and policymakers. In addition to the formal Product Design Team meetings, there are multiple transdisciplinary events where IRRI gathers feedback from the rice value chain that feeds into fine tuning the TPPs e.g. annual advancement meetings and crop tours. The evaluations and feedback during the crop tour are crucial for informing subsequent advancement meetings, where the results of field tests are reviewed, and decisions are made regarding which varieties should proceed to the next round of testing and registration. For instance, during the 2023 advancement meeting six promising materials from Kenya were advanced for OFTs, including nutrient-fortified varieties. By aligning breeding objectives with the preferences of target markets, the teams have been able to prioritize traits such as grain quality, yield potential, and abiotic stress tolerance that are important to improve rice productivity in Africa.
Rice Breeding Program at KALRO Mwea, Kenya
(Poster, 2024-10) Gichuhi, Emily; Musila, Ruth
Analysis of the socio-economic determinants of consumer rice choice: the case of local and imported rice in Benin
(Poster, 2024-10) Arouna, A.; Gandonou Migan, J.; Yergo, W.; Gandonou, E.
Rice consumption in Benin has significantly increased, but the country remains dependent on imports to meet domestic demand. This study aims to analyze the socio-economic determinants of consumer choice of rice locally produced in Benin. To achieve this objective, data were collected from a sample of 901 consumers from 6 markets (2 in South, 2 in Center and 2 in North). We used Kendall's concordance test and the Seemingly Unrelate Regressions SUR bivariate probit model to identify consumer preferences according to rice characteristics, to identify the socio-economic factors influencing household demand for local rice. Results showed that the majority of households consume imported rice and information about local rice encourages households to consume it. Kendall's test revealed that households generally regard the following attributes to be important: taste, cleanliness, swelling capacity, affordable price, and preservation after cooking. These preferences are similar for imported and local rice, but availability is crucial for imported rice, while nutritional benefits are crucial for local rice. Results also showed that on the one hand, the age of the household head, the perceived cleanliness of the rice, and the geographical residence encourage the consumption of local rice. On the other hand, the level of education, female household headship, and the purchase price of rice reduce consumption, indicating price sensitivity and different preferences. It would therefore be useful to study the impact of awareness and information campaigns on local rice consumption habits, especially in urban areas where local rice consumption could be further promoted.
Sorghum market segments: What are farmers’ needs for seed products in Tanzania?
(Poster, 2024-10) Mbugua, M.; Donovan, J.; Rutsaert, P.; Gandhi, H.; Nas, T.M.; Templer, N.; de Sousa, K.; Mawia, H.; Ojiewo, C.; Gichuru, L.; Mwenda, E.
This brief explores Tanzanian farmers’ requirements for sorghum seed products as input for discussions by CGIAR and NARES on seed product market segmentation and the design of target product profiles (TPPs). We applied a novel approach to identify the requirements—video-based product concept testing (VPCT). Through multiple engagements with breeders, farmers, and industry, we identified seven sorghum seed-product concepts, five targeting the end use—home use, feed and food, industrial malting, food and fodder, forage; one concept on cropping system—intercropping; and one targeting material type—hybrid. We sampled 1,100 farmers from the Dodoma and Shinyanga Regions, where each farmer evaluated and ranked three concepts. Farmers were most likely to have selected the hybrid concept as their most preferred concept, followed by the home use concept. The results support discussions on refinements to sorghum segmentation. The hybrid segment should be prioritized, while the following new segments should be considered: home use, intercropping, food and fodder, food and feed. The forage segment should be maintained as a future market segment.
Consumer preferences for rice in Liberia: Some preliminary results
(Poster, 2024-10) Twine, E.; Arouna, A.; Aboudou, R.; Ndindeng, S.
The study investigates preference for rice quality attributes among Liberian consumers and seeks to understand their valuation of biofortified rice. It employs cross-sectional data obtained from a July 2024 survey of 543 randomly selected consumers from the counties of Bong, Lafia, Margibi and Nimba. Preliminary results indicate that the most important quality characteristics are stickiness (as reported by 23% of respondents), slow digestibility (15%), hard grain (13%), fine grain (11%), swelling capacity (11%), non-sticky when cooked (7%) and doughy (7%). On price - quality tradeoff, most households (59%) consider good quality to be more important than price/affordability (41%). 54% of households consume both local and imported rice, while 46% consume only imported rice. The most popular type of rice is parboiled imported rice (95%), followed by non-parboiled local rice (17%), and parboiled local rice (11%). The most important factors by which imported rice is recognized are price (40%), cleanliness (25%) and branding (23%). 59% of households prefer imported rice to local rice. Preference for imported over local rice is because of the former’s cleanliness (80%), superior taste (68%), greater swelling capacity (61%), aroma (53%), ease of cooking (53%), long grains (48%) and fine grains (41%). Nearly all households are unaware of biofortified crops including rice. However, given knowledge of biofortified crops, 91% of households would buy it if available on the market. Households would pay on average US$ 1.13/kg of milled biofortified rice (cf. current national average of US$ 0.8/kg). Implications for breeding and competitiveness of local rice are discussed.
Spatial Market Segmentation: A data-driven approach to identifying priority rice market segments in the Philippines
(Poster, 2024-10) Paguirigan, N.; Maunahan, A.; Laborte, A.
Market segmentation is essential for developing agricultural products that meet the diverse needs of farmers and consumers. Understanding the geographical distribution of these market segments can support the development of well-targeted and demand-driven breeding products. This study demonstrates how spatial market segmentation can be applied to map and identify priority rice market segments at the subnational level, using the Philippines as a case study. We identified spatially-referenced data to represent key market segment criteria for rice including ecosystem (whether irrigated or rainfed), planting method (transplanted or direct seeded), crop maturity (early, medium, late), and grain quality (texture and grain length). These were overlaid with rice area statistics resulting in a map of distinct rice market segments. To further characterize the segments, we linked these to spatially-referenced indicators such as rice area, population density, and poverty level. This data-driven approach supports the identification of priority market segments, enabling breeding programs to optimize resource distribution and develop more impactful innovations tailored to local market needs. This method offers a framework for other crops and regions, providing a strategic basis for enhancing the effectiveness of breeding efforts.
Exploring climate change adaptation and mitigation priorities in the South-eastern Asia’s rice market segments using GloMIP
(Poster, 2024-10) Bayot, R.; Connor, M.
Rice production is vital for food security in South-eastern Asia (SEA), which faces significant climate crises, including drought, flood, rising temperature and rainfall variability. There is a need to review and explore the current seed product market segmentation and the corresponding target product profiles to identify future requirements that could enhance climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. The Global Market Intelligence Platform (GloMIP) was used to review the current rice market segments in South-eastern Asia and future requirements to enhance climate resilience and adaptation. Furthermore, a literature review was conducted to gather insights on recent research on farmers’ needs and climate scenarios. Currently, there are 50 rice market segments in SEA. Four have an active breeding pipeline, covering a combined total area of 16.7 million ha. The analysis highlights the importance of early maturing and direct seeded rice (DSR) in climate change adaptation and mitigation. About 11 million ha rice in Vietnam and Myanmar could shift from transplanting to DSR due to its potential to address climate-related risks. Moreover, agronomic traits, such as nutrient-use efficiency, water-use efficiency, weed-suppressing ability, and germination under moisture stress are important for DSR and recommended to be reflected in the Target Product Profiles. This review process of the current market segments is important to identify priorities within and across impact areas, and recommend necessary adjustments for the future market segments.
Developing tools to assess quality traits in beans for sustainable and nutritional foods in LAC
(Poster, 2024-10) Gallego, Sonia; Orozco, Juan Camilo; Patiño, Gelver; Taleon, Victor; Andrade, Robert
Common bean is a staple crop in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Eastern-Southern Africa, where local preferences for specific varieties play a crucial role in their acceptance. Much of the importance of beans lies in their high contribution of proteins and minerals to the diet. In LAC thanks to strategies led by CIAT, new and better varieties of beans have been developed and released, with greater productivity, higher iron content, drought tolerance, etc. Traits such as color and shape, cooking time and taste are essential to assess their acceptability. On the other hand, nutritional quality is determined by their concentration of macronutrients (protein or amino acids, carbohydrates), micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) and other compounds that can have a nutraceutical or antinutritional action (phytates, phenolic compounds, sugars). Furthermore, it is important to analyze nutritional quality in terms of digestibility and its bioavailability. Each country in LAC has distinct cultural and culinary traditions that influence which types of beans are favored, shaping dietary habits and agricultural practices. Therefore, the evaluation of bean grain quality must be carried out from a comprehensive perspective that meets the interests and preferences of producers, traders, and consumers. Understanding relevant traits is essential for promoting sustainable production and enhancing food and nutritional security in the region. The Nutrition Quality and Food Processing Laboratory (NQL) of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT has developed specific methodologies to assess these bean traits, with the aim of providing valuable information that fosters innovative connections between crop breeders, actors in the agri-food chain, nutrition and health specialists and other stakeholders, including the food industry and policy makers.
Geographical context in plant breeding priorities – groundnuts in West and Southern Africa
(Poster, 2024-10) Mbugua-Gitonga, Agnes; Rutsaert, Pieter; Kitoto, Victor; Khaemba, Colleta
The study explores the significance of geographical context in setting plant breeding priorities. Historically general geographical considerations like climatic conditions have taken centre stage in plant breeding ensuring design and release of varieties that are well suited to grow in each region with the aim of achieving optimal yields while prioritizing traits that cater for biotic and abiotic stress as well as maturity suitability. The result of this has been varieties with pest and disease resistance packs, yield optimization and right maturity for specific geographical regions. This has largely taken care of a farmers’ agronomic needs. However, an easy to grow crop is not all that is required to drive variety adoption within geographical context. There are also unique end use considerations to be considered in geographical context. Within geographical context, the use of any crop is influenced by several factors. Historical production and consumption context plays a critical role, for example in Nigeria ground nut was grown for both local and export market. With challenges that faced the export market local market became the focus. Therefore, export market requirements and specifications are no longer a key focus in Nigeria. In this market, the big question then becomes what the main local uses are and what this means for trait prioritisation. The role of the crop in the household is another driver within geographical context, is the crop used as a main component in the diet of the farming community? Are there multiple uses that would require unique trait consideration for identified uses? The crop may also play a critical role in cultural and religious ceremonies with specific requirement that need to be put into consideration in choosing the right variety suitable for each region. On the other hand, Malawi market has different requirements as it focuses on export market. From the study, it was established both countries have different trait requirement driven the different end uses.
Insight of the market segmentation in tailoring potato varieties for Kenyan market: A snippet of stakeholder’s recommendation of major segments
(Poster, 2024-10) Otieno, A.S.; Nyongesa, W.M.; Kelele, F.J.; Namusonge, M.; Mendes, T.; Milic, D.
In Kenya, potato is a key food security crop and continues to attract many stakeholders due to its versatile attributes as a cash crop and income earner. This calls for new breeder approaches that meets the needs of the various market segments. In order to bridge disconnect between the consumers and breeders, a stakeholder’s forum was established to tune the national breeding program and refine its pipeline to reflect the different specific market classes defined by stakeholders. This forum brought key players in the potato industry to decipher/deliberate on the key market segments in the potato industry in Kenya. There was a data collection tool was provided to stakeholders in the value chain (Researchers, Farmers, State agencies, Seed producers, Ministry of Agriculture staff, Processor, Traders and Consumers among others) to give feedback on the main market segments. Their feed-back was further refined and validated by the stakeholders at a follow-up workshop. The results identified 6 key market segments that were table white skin, table red skin produced under rain fed highland regions, processing red skin, processing white skin chipping varieties, processing red skin, processing white skin crisping all produced under rain-fed in the highlands regions of the country. These findings underscore the evolving needs of the key stakeholders in generating useful information and product profiles to guide the development of new varieties with desirable traits. This allowed the potato breeding program at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)- Tigoni to focus the breeding efforts toward the key segments recommended by the stakeholders. Therefore, this shows the need to continuously, involve the key stakeholder to identify and prioritize important traits for target markets to enhance uptake of new varieties.
Impact of milling on zinc retention in maize and its implication on zinc trait prioritization
(Poster, 2024-10) Taleon, Victor; Palacios-Rojas, Natalia; Dollah, Yusuf; Menkir, Abebe
High kernel-zinc maize (HKZM) has the potential to alleviate zinc deficiency in regions with high maize consumption, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, milling HKZM can lead to loss of zinc when removing the pericarp and embryo. This study evaluated the zinc distribution in kernel components of HKZM and examined how commercial milling affected zinc concentration in maize flour produced in Nigeria and Malawi. The zinc concentration in HKZM lines ranged 27.0–30.7 µg g-1 while in conventional maize it ranged 19.5–22.6 µg g-1. Zinc in the endosperm represented 19.9–27.5% of the total kernel zinc while that in the embryo represented 66.3–73.3%. Environmental factors had a significant effect on kernel zinc concentrations. In both Nigeria and Malawi, maize grain from commercial mills had 21 µg g-1 zinc. Zinc losses during dehulling and degerming was 22–65% in Nigeria and 32–84% in Malawi, resulting in retention of 6–10 µg g-1 and 4–18 µg g-1, respectively. While HKZM shows promise in alleviating zinc deficiency, its anticipated impact may be limited in regions where refined maize is used for making foods. Therefore, the zinc concentration in milled grain should be explored as a potential trait instead of zinc in the whole grain and its priority revisited, for TPPS of market segments that frequently use dehulled and degermed maize.
Quality needs for peanut butter processors and consumers in Tanzania: Implications for breeding and value chain development
(Poster, 2024-10) Mbugua, M.; Rutsaert, P.; Donovan, J.; Muindi, P.; Kariuki, S.; Muteti, F.
This study explores the value proposition for farmers in Tanzania to invest in improved groundnut seed and the related implications for seed systems development. In late 2023–early 2024, we conducted 21 focus-group discussions and interviews with farmer groups, processors, traders, and seed producers. Our findings suggested that the current value proposition for improved seed was insufficient to encourage uptake at scale of improved seed. Farmers planted groundnut on poor soils, with little use of fertilizers or soil improvement conditioners. Brokers and traders purchased groundnuts in pods at the same price, regardless of size, color, or variety. While improved seed existed in limited volumes, the relatively high cost of the seed, combined with the lack of incentives for quality, meant that most farmers recycled their seed or purchased grain for use as seed. The success of future strategies to increase the impact from groundnut breeding hinges on farmers obtaining a higher value proposition from improved groundnut seed. The focus must be broader than seed systems development, encompassing long-term public and private sector investments in developing the peanut butter value chain, combined with investments in improving the agronomic conditions farmers face.
Exploring rice millers preferences in Kenya
(Poster, 2024-10) Malabayabas, Arelene Julia; Rafanomesantzoa, Arielle Sandrine; Bayot, Ruvicyn; Muthoni, Lucy; Connor, Melanie
The rice milling industry in Kenya has undergone significant advancements, playing a crucial role in the rice value chain. The quality traits of rice varieties, including grain size, shape, color, and moisture content, hold immense influence over the final product's quality, price, and marketability. Consumer preferences and the economic value of rice are influenced by these traits. Understanding millers' preferences related to these traits and associated parameters are crucial for guiding future product design decisions. The study conducted a cross-sectional survey of 105 rice processors in various regions of Kenya to gather information on rice mill operations, capacity, factors considered during milling, and sourcing practices. The results highlighted the prevalence of the one-step process in rice milling across regions, with the two-step process observed in all areas except Nairobi. The multi-stage milling process was also found to be widespread. The most commonly sourced and milled rice varieties in each region were IR05N221 (Komboka), Basmati 370 and Sindano , reflecting a preference for aromatic varieties. Traits considered during the evaluation of sourced rice varied across provinces, with moisture content and grain dimension as the most common basis. The findings suggest that aligning breeding programs with millers' preferences and including specific traits in product design could enhance the competitiveness of Kenyan rice millers. Moreover, upgrading milling equipment and methods is essential to improve the quality of milled rice in Kenya. Understanding market trends and consumer preferences is also necessary to align rice production with market needs.

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