Title: Demand-driven value chain of smoked fish among small scale fish processors in Ghana.

Local smoked fish supplied in Ghana is fraught with challenges that have led to high post-harvest losses and declining profitability as well as putting consumers at high risk of food safety issues. Smoked fish does not generate better market return for key actors in the value chain. Therefore, the underlying goal of the study was to identify and explore how market-driven value chain can lead to improved product quality of smoked fish to increase returns among small-scale fish processors in Ghana. A literature reviewed gave a broad overview of the market-driven value chain concept. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire to identify market requirements and consumer preferences for smoked fish in the supermarkets in Ghana. The findings revealed that the supermarkets and its consumers have different perceptions about smoked fish produced in Ghana. The respondents from the supermarkets rated the quality of smoked fish as poor and the consumers rated it to be good. In contrast to the supermarkets’ opinions, 90% of the consumers who purchase items from the supermarket are willing to pay additional premium for improved quality smoked fish product. All the supermarkets are also willing to pay additional premium for a quality product. Also, the respondents of the supermarkets and consumers have limited knowledge about the technologies used to smoke fish in Ghana. The results from this study shows that further research needs to be carried out on the monetary value of a value-added product and class categorisation of consumers to enhance decision making. Among all other things, there is a possibility for smoked fish to enter the higher market if only it meets with the market’s requirements and specifications.