Making Markets Matter

7-12 May 2017. Cape town, South Africa. In 2001 Market Matters Inc. recognized the need for a high-quality and comprehensive agribusiness training program targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets, particularly in Africa. This recognition led to the creation of Making Markets Matter – an annual program that provides agribusiness executives an introduction to the key building blocks of business management, along with the opportunity to network with industry stakeholders, fellow business leaders, and other agribusiness practitioners.

To date, MMM has been offered in Africa, and has trained close to 2,000 businesses in its 15 years of operation. What started with a small initiative with about 30 participants has grown into a well-known, selective agribusiness training program that trains over 75 businesses at a time. Since 2013, MM Inc. has also been involved in business training programs in other emerging markets in Asia.

Extract of the programme:
The program includes evening programs that feature speakers from large agribusinesses, multinational corporations, and financial institutions with an active agribusiness program. “Making

MarketsMatter” is an excellent opportunity for larger businesses to connect with potential clients and business partners and for SMEs to build business relationships among each other.

• Gender in African Agribusiness – Linley Chiwona-Karltun (picture) and Isatou Jack. 
• Competitor Analysis and Profiling – Margaret Matanda 
• Financial Management - Onkutlwile Othata Somerset Suites 
• Financing Your Business – Grace Kabuye 
• Special Session for Seed Companies - Mainza Mugoya 
• Communicating Your Business - Ndunge Kiiti & Pete Ondeng 
• Financing Your Business – Grace Kabuye 
• Competitor Analysis – Margaret Matanda 
• Introduction to Business Incubation - TBD

Publication:

From Principles to Best Practices: A "Making Markets Matter" Guide to Managing African Agribusinesses. 
2015. 158 pages

This book is built on fifteen years of experience in capacity building for African small and medium agro-enterprises through the “Making Markets Matter” training program.

The authors recognize that the African business environment for SMEs presents unique challenges and opportunities that may not respond well to “standard” business management tools. To address this issue, this book captures local political, economic, social, and cultural realities that influence how agribusiness SMEs operate in Africa. Focusing on a host of management topics ranging from marketing to business strategy, from human resource management to family business, the book provides rich detail, gleaned from extensive interactions with African SMEs on the ground.

 Targeting a wide audience, this book is written in a clear, accessible, and easy to understand language. The “Making Markets Matter” guide should be especially informative to entrepreneurs – current and potential – as well as managers. Further, it should be a useful read for anyone working with agribusiness SMEs as a service provider or business partner, or for academics in charge of agribusiness training programs.