Overview
As part of the Iran Wetlands Conservation Plan, I contributed to the development of sustainable, wetland-compatible livelihoods in Fars Province through two complementary workstreams: market assessment and business development advisory, followed by practical business and marketing capacity building.
The assignment covered six selected villages in Kazerun County: Qaleh Narenji, Arab Famour, Narges-Zar, Hellek, Molla Areh, and Deh Paga. Five villages were visited directly. Information on Hellek was collected indirectly through products presented by local facilitators in Arab Famour.
The work focused on understanding local livelihood activities, identifying value-chain and market-access constraints, and helping local producers explore practical opportunities for product improvement, business development, and market expansion.
1. Market Assessment & Business Development Advisory
August 15–16, 2026 | Kazerun County, Fars Province
I conducted a qualitative, field-based assessment of livelihood activities across six selected villages. The assessment involved direct observation of products and production activities, structured note-taking, and interviews and conversations with local producers, entrepreneurs, and facilitators.
The livelihoods reviewed covered a diverse range of activities, including agricultural production, processed food products, honey and dairy, medicinal and local plants, weaving and handicrafts, tailoring, carpet weaving, and home-based production.
The assessment examined product characteristics, production organization, packaging and labelling, pricing, sales channels, market access, and the development needs of local livelihood initiatives.
My advisory work focused on improving product presentation and market readiness through practical recommendations on product identity, packaging, labelling, and value addition. I also provided guidance on cost-based pricing, customer relationship management (CRM), social media presence, sales development, and the use of exhibitions, local markets, and other sales channels.
The assessment identified existing examples of market access beyond the villages. These included an experimental marketplace in Kazerun and the Nomadic Creative House at Arg-e Karim Khan in Shiraz, both of which offered opportunities to connect local producers with urban markets.
The analysis also highlighted the importance of moving beyond individual sales networks and occasional market events towards more consistent market connections, stronger value chains, and better-organized business development.
Livelihoods Products & Local Activities
2. Business & Marketing Capacity Building
August 17, 2026 | Kazerun County Governor’s Office, Fars Province
I designed and facilitated a full-day, interactive workshop for local livelihood practitioners, facilitators, and government and private-sector stakeholders. The workshop was held from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and combined business and marketing fundamentals with practical exercises based on participants’ own products and livelihood activities.
The workshop covered:
- Business fundamentals and the Golden Circle
- Market and marketing principles
- The 4Ps marketing mix
- Pricing methods and cost awareness
- Sales processes, sales funnels, and personal selling
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and customer records
- Business Model Canvas
- Marketing planning using the SOSTAC framework
Participants worked individually and in groups to apply the concepts to their own activities. Practical outputs included Golden Circle and values worksheets, completed marketing-mix exercises, pricing approaches, basic customer and sales records, Business Model Canvases, and written SOSTAC-based marketing plans.
The workshop emphasized practical application, discussion, and interaction between livelihood practitioners and facilitators, rather than relying solely on classroom-based instruction.
Key Outputs
- A qualitative market and value-chain assessment covering six selected villages, with five direct field visits and one indirect assessment.
- Analysis of local livelihood activities, products, market access, sales channels, and value-chain constraints.
- Business development advisory on product identity, packaging, pricing, customer management, and market expansion.
- Identification of local market-development opportunities, including the experimental marketplace in Kazerun and existing urban market connections.
- A full-day interactive business and marketing capacity-building workshop.
- Practical Business Model Canvas exercises and written SOSTAC-based marketing plans.