An integrated multidisciplinary approach to developing value-added products: A case study of mango pickle production and marketing by women in a poor rural village

Developing, producing and marketing value-added horticultural products in poor rural villages in developing countries can improve local livelihoods but presents significant challenges across three distinctly different fields – product development, marketing, and community development. This paper reports a pilot-scale example of value-added mango products produced and marketed by women in a poor village in Sindh, Pakistan. The research approach adopts a value-chain perspective to first identify market opportunities, then consider processing requirements, and finally determine how a village can organise resources to produce and market the product. In this case study, 12 women produced more than 500 kg mango pickles from low-grade and waste fruit, generating US$ 350 in income. Lessons for other villages are suggested.