Abstract
This paper compares the One Village One product (OVOP) movements of Japan,
Thailand, and Malawi to examine their similarities and differences and to provide Sub
Sahara African countries which are adopting the OVOP approach with measures
necessary to overcome existing constraints. The OVOP movement encourages the
mobilization of local human, material, and cultural resources to create value-added
products/services for domestic and external markets. However, the Thai and Malawian
OVOPs were initially different from the Japanese OVOP due to the strong initiative
taken by the central government and in the emphasis on economic, rather than social,
purposes.