Measurement for Management: Metrics to Characterize Food Markets in Developing Regions
DOWNLOADDecember 1, 2024 - Mywish K. Maredia, Ayala Wineman, Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie
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EmailThe report, authored by Mywish K. Maredia, Ayala Wineman, and Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie, presents a comprehensive framework for developing metrics to characterize and improve food markets in developing regions. The project, part of the RSM2SNF initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, addresses six key dimensions: nutrition, equity, food safety, infrastructure, economic development, and environmental sustainability.
The report emphasizes the importance of measuring market performance to achieve broader development goals such as reducing hunger, malnutrition, and poverty, while enhancing sustainability and equity. It identifies 77 market-level indicators, prioritizing 32 for practical application. These metrics span physical and virtual markets and include measures for food availability, affordability, diversity, safety, and accessibility.
Key Highlights:
- Metrics Importance: Metrics are vital for tracking market performance, informing policy, and addressing development challenges.
- Prioritized Indicators: A refined list of 32 metrics suitable for wholesale and retail markets is proposed.
- Challenges: Limited data and uneven progress in metric development highlight the need for targeted research and capacity building.
- Recommendations: Pilot metrics in surveys of wholesale markets in Nigeria and Tanzania, develop a dashboard for public access, and expand focus to virtual markets.
The report aims to spur discourse, guide policy, and support the development of inclusive, resilient, and efficient food markets in developing regions.
