price) of a commodity.  The issues to understand are the major trade partners (countries), the

volume of flow of trade, and the timing of trade.

Trade with other countries can range from small scale trade between border communities to

large scale trade (either regular or emergency).  In both times of normalcy and crisis

countries tend to procure commodities from the same places.  Knowing these patterns of

past behavior will assist the analyst to be prepared to identify and explain changes in prices.

Appendix E provides a blank detailed step by step worksheet to identify pattern of trade

between your country and other countries. An example of a completed worksheet is

presented in Figure 3.4.

Figure 3.4: Sample completed worksheet on external trade patterns

Appendix E

c)

For each staple food list the main 

international

 external markets and the location of

the local market that has direct linkages to that external market. If there are more

markets for any staple food then continue the list on another copy of Appendix D.

Worksheet to identify external trade patterns

Staple food

              External                        Local market

              market                           link

Purpose

:  This worksheet will guide the analyst through a sequential series of steps to identify

1. 

Maize                      Argentina                Lusaka

the trade of major staple foods with other countries.  The concept is to offer a practical guide to

identify the contextual information necessary to use market and price data and information for

               _______________          _________________

early warning.

               _______________          _________________

               _______________          _________________

Steps:

               _______________          _________________

2. 

Wheat                      United States            Lusaka

               _______________          _________________

1.

Collect and review past studies on the trade of agricultural products between your

               _______________          _________________

country and other countries (both within the region and internationally). Universities

3. ______________            _______________          _________________

(both local and international), government, donors, or NGOs has often done these

               _______________          _________________

studies.

2.

Identify the movement of cereals within the country.

d)

Print out a map of the country at the national level for each of the commodities listed

a)

Based on the Appendices B and C, list the three most important staple foods.

above.

If there are more than three important staple foods then continue the list on

another copy of Appendix D.  Pay special attention to staple foods consumed

e)

For each staple food draw on the map the regional markets that you identified as

by urban households.

important for the marketing of that commodity.  Next show the direction of the

b)

For each staple food list the main 

regional

 external markets and the location

movement of the commodity with arrows.

of the local market that has direct linkages to that external market. If there are

more markets for any staple food then continue the list on another copy of

f)

Write a brief summary of the insights you have gained during this process, including:

Appendix D.

What are the major regional and international external markets for

the main staple foods in the country?

Staple food

                External                         Local market

                market                            link

Do these flows occur each year or during an emergency?

1. 

Maize                       South Africa               Lusaka

            Zimbabwe                 Lusaka

Tips if the answers to the above questions are not easily available:

            DRC                           Cooperbelt

               _______________          _________________

Try to identify any trade studies that have been done for your

               _______________          _________________

country.  A good source to acquire these studies are universities,

donors (who sometimes fund these studies), other government

ministry offices, and NGOs.

2. 

Wheat

South Africa

Lusaka

               _______________          _________________

Visit some of the major traders and the World Food Programme in a

country and discuss the nature of trade for specific commodities.

3. ______________            _________ ______          _________________

               _______________          _________________

Instructions to fill out the worksheet:

Step 2

a through 2c should be completed directly on a blank copy of the

worksheet.

For 

steps 2dc and 2d

 of the above instructions, the following maps were

constructed:

17