2SCALE Highlights 2019
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2019
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2SCALE is a project that collaborates with the local private sector to establish sustainable agribusiness networks. They aim to connect small-scale farmers, buyers, processors, and other partners who can provide goods and services. Through public-private partnerships, training, technical advice, and business linkages, 2SCALE aims to enhance the competitiveness of farmers and small and medium-sized businesses, enabling them to respond to new opportunities. In their second phase of implementation starting in 2019, 2SCALE aimed to build 60 new business partnerships across eight countries and ten sub-sectors, including cassava, maize, rice, sorghum, onion, green vegetables, soy, groundnuts, dairy, and poultry. They focused on introducing on- and off-farm innovations for eco-efficient agriculture, improving business skills, and developing nutritious and affordable food products for low-income consumers. During this phase, 2SCALE experienced significant changes, such as concluding partnerships from the previous step and establishing 25 new partnerships entirely from scratch in 2019. They also expanded their operations to Burkina Faso and Niger and their ongoing work in Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Nigeria. SNV, a new key partner, joined the implementing consortium, bringing expertise in dairy, horticulture, youth inclusion, and sector change. 2SCALE identifies committed entrepreneurs or business-oriented producer organizations interested in building sustainable and inclusive businesses. They work closely with these partners to develop tailored partnerships based on local circumstances and priorities. The process involves generating business ideas, conducting scoping studies, screening potential partners, and gaining approval from an external selection committee. Trained agribusiness support services and coaches provide guidance and mentorship to the partnerships, primarily funded by private partners and supplemented with financial services and technical assistance. The second phase of 2SCALE has specific targets, including improving access to nutritious food for at least 1 million bottom-of-the-pyramid consumers, developing inclusive business with 5,000 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), improving the livelihoods of 750,000 smallholders, and scaling over 60 public-private partnerships. 2SCALE is funded by the Netherlands government and implemented by a consortium consisting of the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), BoP Innovation Center (BoPInc), and SNV (Netherlands Development Organization). They collaborate with various partners, including private firms, producer organizations, banks, public sector agencies, development organizations, universities, and international research centers.
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Public-Private Partnerships, Sustainable agriculture, Agribusiness, Smallholder farmers