Name of the organisation: /
4. PO Interview: Second Part
Action Research maize value chain, August – September 2011
(Leave this questionnaire with the PO after the first working day and ask the PO to fill it in before the second working session)
Introduction
This questionnaire is developed in three parts:
1. The first part is focused on the PO activities with regard to the production, storage and conservation, processing and marketing of maize. The questions are close to the topics elaborated in the self-assessment. The information on the activities undertaken by the PO facilitates the discussions after the review of the self-assessment results.
2. The second part focuses on the collection and use of economic information. This part is important to get an idea on the economical and entrepreneurial orientation of the PO.
3. The third part focuses on the PO economical ambitions. This part is very important to get an idea of the economical objectives targeted by the maize producers. It is an important input for the maize and other crops value chain development programmes.
Explanations to fill in the questionnaire
First part: Activities undertaken
- For all the questions: Reply by yes and no first (only tick one option: yes or no)
- Fill in then the “remarks” columns. This helps to indicate what the PO did or why the PO did not do or could not do an activity.
Second part: Economic information
- For all the questions: score 0, 1 or 2. Only tick one score: Either 0, 1 or 2.
- Fill in then the “remarks” column.
Third part: Economic objectives of the PO
- Give the exact numbers for the different designated indicators for the actual situation (2011) and for the targeted situation/to reach in 2015.
- If needed add other objectives or economical ambitions that you can detect.
- Give eventual remarks.
FIRST PART: UNDERTAKEN ACTIVITIES
Activities linked to the production and productivity
Activities / Yes / No / RemarksThe PO has technical sheets on agricultural practices
The PO organised technical trainings for their members
The PO has demonstration parcels or farmer field school fields for their members
The PO has actively searched for new varieties for their members
The PO organises trainings on seed quality
The PO makes group demands for fertilisers for the benefit of their members
The PO disposes an input store where the members can make purchases
The PO organises trainings on composting
The PO facilitates the acquisition of pesticides
The PO gives information on and trainings on rotation and crop allotment
The PO has informed their members on preventive treatment of the maize parcels
The PO made efforts to promote mechanisation
The PO organised study tours/exchange visits
NB
- Tick YES or NO
- In case of a YES answer: indicate what exactly the PO did
- In case of a NO answer: indicate why the PO did not or could not undertake this activity
Post-harvest activities: Storage, conservation and processing
Within the PO we exchanged the best techniques on maize storage
The PO advises its members on the best harvest period in order to reduce the field contamination
The PO provided information on the pre-drying of maize before storage
We have a storage store for maize
The PO uses the maize stock as a guarantee for banks/IMF (storage-credit)
The PO is engaged on processing the maize to other products
The PO produces and sells the maize flour
The PO has informed and advised its members on the use of maize harvest residue for animal feeding
The members exchanged ideas on the opportunities and constraints related to the production and sales of yellow maize within the PO
The PO informed its members on the different products that can be done out of maize
The PO promoted the collaboration between the maize producers and maize processing organisations
NB
- Tick YES or NO
- If the answer is YES: indicate what the PO exactly did
- If the answer is NO: indicate why the PO did not or could not undertake this activity
Activities with regard marketing
Activities / Yes / No / RemarksThe PO has close relations with certain intermediate to facilitate the sale of the members maize
The PO inform its members about the potential buyers in town
The PO brings traders to discuss and negotiate the sale of members maize
The PO informs regularly its members on the market prices of the maize
The PO organises the group sale of maize
The PO organises the transport of the members maize to the market
The PO manages a collecting point of maize where the traders come to load their trucks
The PO made efforts to improve the weight transparency of the sold maize
The PO promotes and organises differed sales of maize in order to reach the best prices
The PO delivers the white maize to the enterprise’s buying and processing it into flour and other products
The PO delivers the yellow maize to the enterprise’s producing animal feed
The PO has close relations with the UCP in order to find clients
NB
- Answer YES or NO
- If the answer is YES: indicate what the PO exactly did
- If the answer is NO: indicate why the PO did not or could not undertake this activity
Networking Activities
Activities / Yes / No / RemarksThe PO has relations with professional seed experts to find the best quality seed
The PO has relations with the input providers in order to improve the members access to fertilisers
The PO advises its member where and when to buy fertilisers
The PO has approached the researchers (CRA) to get information on certain important questions
The PO organises activities for the experiments through the researchers, government officers and project
The PO has relations with banks/IMF to improve members access to agricultural credits
The PO helps members to prepare credit requests
The PO approaches the agricultural agent (CECPA) of the community to better support members
The PO develop relations with the Community to better support members
The PO approaches the donors to ask for support to implement their activities
The PO defends the interest of members towards the local authorities
The PO elaborated project proposals for NGOs
NB
- Tick YES or NO
- If the answer is YES: indicate what the PO exactly did
- If the answer is NO: indicate why the PO did not or could not undertake this activity
SECOND PART: ECONOMICAL INFORMATION OF THE PO
Where do you obtain the useful information about the production, storage and marketing of maize?
Information Sources / Never / Sometimes / Often / RemarksOther producers
Traders and brokers that visit us
Traders and brokers in town
Traditional processors
Modern processors
Input providers
Research/ researchers
Awareness raising agents
Banks – IMF
Ministry of Agriculture
Community
Trainings
Field visits
Exchange visits
Technical sheets
Newspapers
Radio
Television
Internet
Other maize producers groups
Maize processing groups
Union of Community Producers (UCP)
...
...
NB
- Tick NEVER, SOMETIMES or OFTEN (only one answer)
- Give remarks and examples on the column in the right
What information is missing?
Information on / Not missing / Slightly missing / Largely missing / RemarksManagement of soil fertility and agricultural intensification
Fertiliser (access, price, quality, use)
Water management
Seeds and varieties
Agricultural techniques
Pest management and diseases – use of pesticides
Mechanisation and equipment
Harvest (timing, techniques, ..)
Maize drying
Storage and conservation
Processing techniques
Processing unit management
Packing and branding
Demands and market opportunities
Group sales
Organisation of the producers
File keeping
Quality and standards
Policies and regulations
Credits and finance
Storage – credit/ warranty
Training options
Elaboration of business plans
Project proposals for support
...
NB
- Tick “NOT MISSING”, “SLIGHTLY MISSING” or “LARGELY MISSING” (only one answer)
- Give remarks and examples on the column in the right
Who should provide information?
Potential information providers / Not important / Quite important / Very important / RemarksOwn PO (group, cooperative, ...)
Other POs
Progressive producers
UCP – URP
Research
Awareness raising
Government
Community
Donors and development projects
NGO Facilitators
Input providers
Traders and intermediates
Traditional processors
Modern processors
Financial institutions (banks-IMF)
Standardisation Office
Trainings
Field visits
Exchange visits
Technical sheets
Newspapers
Articles and books
Radio
Television
Internet
NB
- Tick NOT IMPORTANT, QUITE IMPORTANT or VERY IMPORTANT (only one answer)
- Give remarks and examples on the column in the right
Data collection of the PO
Does the PO collect data on: / Yes very good / Yes, a bit / No / RemarksProduction / actual Production volume?
Productivity?
Use of fertiliser?
Agricultural methods and production constraints?
Production costs?
Quality (fresh and dry maize)?
Storage and conservation (techniques, losses, ...)?
Processing?
Marketed volumes?
Price for the producer?
Maize prices at urban market level?
Cost-benefit analysis?
NB
- Tick YES VERY GOOD, YES A BIT or NO
- Explain the answer in the “remarks” column
Questions: / Yes, very good / Yes, a bit / No / RemarksDoes the PO have sheets to collect data from the members?
Does the PO improve in regard to the analysis, use of data and economical information?
THIRD PART: THE POs ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES
Fill in the next table:
Activities and economical indicators / Actual Situation (2011) / Targeted Situation (2015)White maize production (tons) / ...... tons / ...... tons
Yellow maize production (tons) / ...... tons / ...... tons
Productivity per hectare (kg/ha) / ...... kg/ha / ...... kg/ha
Use of improved seeds (% planted areas) / ...... % of planted areas / ...... % of planted areas
Hybrid seed purchase (N. of producers) / ...... Producers purchasing hybrid seeds / ...... Producers purchasing hybrid seeds
Fertiliser dosage NPK (kg/ha) / ...... kg/ha / ...... kg/ha
Urea fertiliser dosage (kg/ha) / ...... kg/ha / ...... kg/ha
PO storage unit (storage capacity in tons) / ...... tons storage capacity / ...... tons storage capacity
Maize processing (tons processed per year) / ...... tons processed per year / ...... tons processed per year
Group sales (tons sold collectively) / ...... tons sold collectively / ...... tons sold collectively
Contracting with private or public buyers (tons delivered) / ...... tons delivered according the contract / ...... tons delivered according the contract
Producers price (Average price in FCFA/kg) / Average price...... FCFA per kg / Average price ...... FCFA per kg
(other objective)
......
(other objective)
......
*Remarks: be realistic and precise!
End of the second part interview with the PO
Facilitator: Enter the quantitative data to the Excel sheet 4:: ‘PO Maize data – second part. Keep the sheet for FUPRO to analyse.
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