VALUE ADDITION IN AGRICULTURE
It is simply the act of adding value to a product, whether you have grown the initial product or not. It involves taking any product from one level to the next. In general, adding value is the process of changing or transforming a product from its original state to a more valuable state. Value added agriculture refers most generally to manufacturing processes that increase the value of primary agriculture commodities. Value added agriculture may also refer to increasing the economic value of commodity through particular production processes, e.g., organic produce, or through regionally-branded products that increase consumer appeal and willingness to pay. Value added agriculture is regarded by some as a significant rural development strategy. Small scale, organic food processing, non-traditional crop production, agri-tourism, and bio fuel development are example of various value added projects that have created new jobs in some rural areas.
Value addition is an idea that has the potential to change agriculture potential. Adding value to products can be accomplished in number of different ways, but generally falls into one of two main type i.e. innovation and coordination. It is an alternative production and marketing strategy that requires a better understanding of the rapidly changing food industry and food safety issues, consumer preference and effective management. As a specific example, a more narrow definition would be to economically add value to an agricultural product (such as wheat) by processing it into a product (such as flour) desired by customers (such as bread bakers).