<aside> ⭐ A stakeholder workshop is a structured, facilitated discussion with selected value chain participants who are responsible for critical market functions, service provision and the legal, regulatory and policy environment.

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These workshops can be one of the hardest to arrange, as there are many hurdles to overcome, such as:

• Finding a time to suit everyone’s calendar
• Defining the right staff to attend
• The length of time that’s available / required
• Finding a mutually convenient venue.

The workshop, which should be conducted after the value chain analysis has been completed, is used to:

• Verify the findings of a value chain analysis
• Identify opportunities and constraints to increased competitiveness and begin to prioritize them
• Facilitate the development of a stakeholders’ vision of a more competitive industry
• Begin to identify action needed to realize this vision.

The effectiveness of these workshops is directly linked to the degree to which private sector participants perceive themselves as driving and owning the agenda for change.

The end goals of the stakeholder workshop are:

• Bring together the participants from the value chain who have incentives to drive investments in upgrading
• Develop an action plan with stakeholders to move the industry to higher levels of competitiveness through some combination of increased efficiencies, differentiation strategies and taking advantage of new markets and demand.