MODULE 3a

SWOT analysis
SWOT analysis can help farmers better understand both internal and external factors, allowing them to make better decisions. SWOT analysis follows the organization from four different angles:

• Strengths - Internal characteristics such as skills and resources that can be effectively mobilized or used more efficiently.
• Weaknesses - Internal characteristics that limit the potential of a farm, such as insufficient resources and skills.
• Opportunities - External factors that should improve the competitiveness of the farm and should be fully exploited (e.g involvement in co-operation/partnership).
• Threats - External disadvantages that are expected to be barriers of the progress of the farm (economic situation, competition, etc.).

SWOT analysis contributes to the process of turning a vision into plans by providing a comprehensive picture of internal and external potential, to achieve organizational goals and/or production goals.

SWOT analysis can be used to plan farm development with an emphasis on areas with the greatest potential for co-operation/partnership. SWOT analysis can serve as a starting point for assessing and comparing the feasibility of a number of potential activities.

SWOT analysis includes four basic steps:

• Identification of strengths and weaknesses;
• Identification of opportunities and threats;
• Prioritization;
• Formulation of the strategy.

An example of SWOT analysis with a focus on marketing