From aid to trade: Enhancing effective & proactive partnerships in food value chain
This output report (PDF) documents the Food Security Partners’ Day themed “From Aid to Trade: Enhancing Effective and Proactive Partnerships in Food Production Value Chain”, which was organized on 24th October 2017 by the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Nairobi. The topics covered were inclusivity and scalability. The ambition with the Aid to Trade agenda is that the Embassy will cease to directly manage development projects and focus on strengthening trade relations with Kenya. To sum up the day, seven key success factors of inclusivity and scalability were identified; 1) Inclusivity and scalability initiatives need solid and diverse partnerships from the design to implementation. 2) For change to happen in the value chains, all stakeholders must be able to benefit (financially or otherwise). 3) Innovation in the sector does not come free, hence the need for subsidy for the bottom of the pyramid. 4) There is need to fix the disconnect that exists in the various components and actors of the value chain as has been successfully implemented in countries such as the Netherlands through the Dutch Growth Diamond. 5) Self-regulation by farmers is important to ensure reinforcement of quality and standards. 6) Clustering of farmers, services and initiatives is important for scale. 7) In the design of projects, starting with the business perspective and then developing it further in the spirit of Aid to Trade is sustainable.