The challenges of agricultural value chain assessment and governance – The example of mangoes in Burkina Faso

Abstract

The integrated assessment of agricultural value chains through economic, social and environmental analyses is aimed at providing the necessary and sufficient information to guide or support investment decisions in the context of sustainable development. These assessments are based on data collection and analyses of the organisation of these value chains, as well as on their stakeholders’ strategies. Access to information, the reliability of this information, and the general context in which these value chains evolve are key dimensions. The context can be an obstacle to investment decisions and the implementation of sectoral agricultural policies. Indeed, investing requires confidence in the future, since it implies debt, and therefore risk-taking and accountability. In order to mitigate this risk, investors require information and must be able to access it. In low-income countries, difficulties in applying regulatory texts and the lack of reliable information hamper the development of sustainable agricultural value chains, as well as the processes to assess them. We show how mango value chains in Burkina Faso are concerned.