The International ValueLinks Association e.V. was founded in June 2009 as a network of development practitioners working on value chain development.

ValueLinks is an action-oriented approach for promoting economic development with a value chain perspective. It provides essential know-how on ways to enhance employment and the income of micro, small- and medium-sized enterprises and farmers by promoting the value chains they are operating in.

ValueLinks has been developed by GTZ (www.gtz.de) and builds on lessons learned with rural development programmes and private sector promotion supported by GTZ.

The International ValueLinks Association e.V. aims at promoting:

• pro-poor economic growth in developing countries
• experience exchange and international contacts among ValueLinks users
• quality standards in the application of ValueLinks
• information flows for ValueLinks training and consulting services
• outreach and further development of the approach.

Association members work for GTZ on value chain development projects or contribute to value chain development projects as consultants, trainers and advisers. The association is formally registered under German law in Frankfurt am Main and has 78 members (as of: August 2011).