The ongoing global economic downturn along with the rise of the big south is resulting in a process of deindustrialisation, slow growth and structural unemployment, particularly among the youth in the global south and small states. These trends along with issues like climate change, development cooperation and global diasporas suggest an increased need for the global south and small states to pursue an innovation-driven growth agenda to avoid the commodity and low value-added traps. A key element of the evolving debate is the issue of how developing countries can be inserted into global value chains.

This two-day conference asked how can the global south and small states enhance competitiveness by moving up global value chains? Jodie Keane - Research Fellow in ODI's International Economic Development Group - presented a case study on Kenya's cut flower trade to examine this key issue.