The play depicts a participatory market chain approach to value chain development for durian farmers. It shows the farmers receiving low prices from collectors and wholesalers, leading to unsatisfied shopkeepers and customers. Through collaboration between the actors, the farmers learn to cultivate a new variety of spineless durian to meet customer demand, improving their incomes. The play highlights how participatory approaches can help smallholders identify market opportunities and strengthen value chains from production to consumption.

1. Theatre play for participatory value chain development
by Hugo Lamers, Faridah, Termizi, Pearlycia, Shariah and Hafizul
Adapted from the Participatory Market Chain Approach

2. ‘The Spineless Durian’

3. The audience is ready….., I hope you too!

4. Two farmers are in the forest harvesting some special fruit…

5. A collecting trader comes to the forest…
Ok, let me see your
durians!

6. The collecting trader bargains hard – A low price is what
the farmers get!
Nock!
Nock!


7. The collecting trader sells the fruits to the wholesaler
Here, great value
fruits!

8. The wholesaler is not happy and gives a low price again!
Grrmpff!
@#$BAD#LA
%@$&!!!

9. The wholesaler arrives at the shop in town – the
shopkeeper inspects the durians

10. This is bad quality! Leave
your durians here, I will
pay you later… only when
sold!

11. A customer arrives
Madam, see here my
great durians!

12. The customer inspects the durians
Hmmm, it is bad
quality!

13. The shopkeeper asks which type she wants…
I would prefer durians
without those dangerous
spines!

14. '
The shop keeper calls the wholesaler
I could not sell your fruits, but
eh…, you ever heard about
spineless durians…?

15. The wholesaler calls the collecting trader
…just a question, did you ever
see a spineless durian?

16. The collecting trader meets the farmers
…but we have never seen
any spineless durian in the
forest! What can we do?!

17. The farmers are puzzled - Then the wholesaler calls
Let us come together
and discuss!
₪₮₯₰?₪?

18. …it must be very
rare…!
…it seems impossible…!
…how can we find such a spineless durian…?!

19. I have an idea says the collecting trader
We could try something
like this…

20. The farmers agree and go deep into the forest...

21. The farmers show the fruit to the shopkeeper
…Hmmm, it
smells good
and is soft.
Let’s try it…!

22. …Welcome to my
shop Madam!
See here what I have
for you…!

23. Hmmm… yes, it’s
nice! But get me
next time a blue
spineless durian!!
I will pay even
more!!!
Oh No!!

24. 'The End'

25. So people - I hope you enjoyed, but what did you learn...

26. We put three key messages about marketing and
value chains in this play, did you capture them...

27. Find the guidelines and answers at
http://tft.atbioversity.net/tiki-index.php?page=PMCA

28. - Pearlycia Brooke as farmer (Dep. of Agriculture, Sarawak)
- Termizi as farmer (Dep. of Agriculture, Sarawak)
- Hafizul Bin Husin as collecting trader (Dep. of Agriculture, Putrajaya)
- Shariah Binti Umar as wholesaler (Dep. of Agriculture, Sarawak)
- Hugo Lamers as shopkeeper (Bioversity International)
- Faridah Aini Binti Muhammad as customer (Dep. of Agriculture, Putrajaya)
- Bungai village, Bekenu district, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia, Nov 2013
http://tft.atbioversity.net/tiki-index.php?page=PMCA

29. Theatre play for participatory value chain development
Hugo Lamers
Associate Scientist socio-economics and marketing
Bioversity International
h.lamers@cgiar.org
In collaboration with Department of Agriculture in Malaysia
http://tft.atbioversity.net/tiki-index.php?page=PMCA

30. www.bioversityinternational.org
Thank you