Raising Smallholder Farmer Income in the Developing World: New Business Models for Sustainable Trading Relationships
[last updated January 31, 2008 12:28 PM]

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General Information
Partnership website(s)
Expected Timeframe
January 2008 - January 2012
Partners
Governments:
    		Major Groups:
    • Rainforest Alliance (United States of America)
    • Sustainable Food Lab (United States of America)
    • ACOS (Ethiopia)
    • Ghana Cocoa Board (Ghana)
    • ECOM Agroindustrial Corp. Ltd. (Switzerland)
    • Armajaro (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
    • Flamingo-Homegrown (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
    • International Institute for Environment and Development (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
    • Catholic Relief Services (United States of America)
    • Chiquita (United States of America)
    • Counterpart International (United States of America)
    • Intelligentsia (United States of America)
    • Kraft (United States of America)
    • Mars (United States of America)
    • Scharffenberger-Hershey (United States of America)
    UN System:
      		Other intergovernmental organizations:
        Other:
          		 
          Thematic Focus
          Primary Themes:
          • Poverty eradication
          • Sustainable development in a globalizing world
          • Rural development
          • Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development
          • Biodiversity
          • Land
          • Agriculture
          • Forests
          		 Secondary Themes:
          • Gender equality
          • Health and sustainable development
          Geographic Coverage
          Geographic Scope: Regional
          Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented:
          Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda
          National Focal Points
          This partnership has not made any contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the countries involved
          Goals and Objectives
          Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
          1. To develop a set of business models that support sustainable smallholder and rural laborer inclusion in high-value, formal export and domestic markets in four distinct product clusters (dried beans, fresh vegetables, bananas, cocoa).

          2. To apply these new business models (through value chain analysis and upgrading) in sub-Saharan Africa.

          3. To expand these validated business models through existing and new supply chain partnerships that provide direct benefits to 158,000 smallholders and 301,000 laborers while using project results to influence existing standards.
          Targets and Progress
          Partnership targets
          1. Analysis of best supply chain practices in Central America and Africa that will result in (a) policy papers identifying key leverage points for change, (b) a web site presenting research findings, and (c) preliminary metrics and indicators for each product cluster.

          2. Supply chain partnerships in four product areas that include (a) training in the Learning Alliance approach, (b) published baseline information with targets for income, organization, information flow, social conditions, gender improvements, and environmental parameters, (c) operational monitoring and evaluation (M&E) protocols at all levels in each chain, and (d) final reports on each value-chain analysis and business model implementation.

          3. Beta-version business models will be refined and applied at scale within a process that includes (a) application of models at commercial scale, (b) training for development partners in methods, skills, and tools for putting new business models into practice, (c) publications describing project results, and (d) an end-of-project summit.
          Progress against targets
          This entry was submitted in January 2008, just as project is beginning. Progress against targets to be reported in 2009 and beyond.
          Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
          Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
          Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
          How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
          The purpose of the “New Business Models of Sustainable Trading Relationships” partnership is to develop and implement new trading relationships that will reduce rural poverty and improve environmental quality by creating higher income market opportunities for small producers that also reward environmental stewardship.

          Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
          Preamble; International cooperation to accelerate sustainable development in developing countries and related domestic policies; Combating poverty; Changing consumption patterns; Integrating environment and development in decision-making; Combating deforestation; Managing fragile ecosystems: combating desertification and drought; Promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development; Conservation of biological diversity; Strengthening the role of non-governmental organizations: partners for sustainable development; Strengthening the role of business and industry; Strengthening the role of farmers
          Relevant Sections of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21
          Integration of economic, social and environmental objectives; Sectors and issues
          Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
          Poverty eradication ; Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production ; Protection and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development ; Sustainable development in a globalizing world ; Sustainable development for Africa
          Coordination and Implementation
          Coordination Mechanism of the Partnership
          The project is lead by the Rainforest Alliance, with overall project management and coordination provided by the Sustainble Food Lab. The Rainforest Alliance will provide oversight of the project as well as financial and contractual management and, will communicate and coordinate with the partnership's main donor, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (providing donor reporting and budgeting).
          Implementation Mechanism of the Partnership
          The Sustainable Food Lab and the Rainforest Alliance will jointly raise counterpart funding as needed, develop markets strategies and liaise with the other international projects and programs in the region and in similar crops. Additional partners will carry out and manage field work in-country, hire and train staff and consultants, and report their results to the Sustainable Food Lab for monitoring and evaluation purposes.
          Resources
          Funding Currently Available
          Amount in US$: 5,277,660
          Source(s): Foundations / charities
          Grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the Rainforest Alliance
          Non-financial resources available
          Type(s):
          Source(s):
          Funding Sought
          Required Amount in US$:
          Source(s) already approached:
          Non-financial resources sought
          Requirement(s):
          Source(s) approached and details:
          Additional Information
          Additional Relevant Information
          Partnership is new. Lessons learned to be shared at later date.