Dear Edward, it's hard to give a hard and fast number as the complexity and number of people along the value chain will influence the effort and thus the time required. But what is crucial is to understand the functioning of the value chain. Otherwise even well intended efforts at improvements may go astray. To give you a hint at a misplaced attempt at such improvements: The Portuguese government wanted to support upscale marketing of octopus as a quality product in the Algarve in the south of the country and spent quite some money on developing a label to distinguish Algarve octopus in the market. The ground realities were that Galician buyers who used to purchase everything available, making it easy for the fishers to market, even at a somewhat reduced price. The traders would then market all octopus as premium Galician octopus. They threatened not to purchase anything anymore if the Algarve label was not removed. And so it was. Just to illustrate the point of studying first how it works in detail right now before coming up with supposed improvements. The time it takes to show in the market hinges on well the improvements can tap into existing marketing channels or create new ones. Hope it helps a little in terms of planning. Best, Cornelia

https://www.fao.org/3/AC385E/AC385E10.htm

https://www.ifad.org/en/web/ioe/w/sao-tome-et-principe-second-artisanal-fisheries-development-project

http://base.d-p-h.info/fr/fiches/premierdph/fiche-premierdph-3993.html

https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/11731320_01.pdf

https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/11696176_01.pdf

https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Project-and-Operations/Mozambique_-_Artisanal_Fisheries_Development_Project_-_Appraisal_Report.pdf

https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/strengthen-peruvian-artisanal-fishing-especially-its-contribution-food-security

https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNABX598.pdf