The Public-Private Producer Partnership (4Ps) programme

14 November 2017. Kampala. The Ugandan Government in partnership with SNV Netherlands Development Organization, have decided to rollout a new approach called the Public-Private Producer Partnership (4Ps) programme. This follows a three year 4Ps pilot project ending this year.

The $2.3million project was funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) implemented by SNV in five African Countries with each taking an equal share of the fund including Uganda.

In Uganda the project focused on the oilseed sector including; sunflower, sesame and soya bean in West Nile, Northern Uganda and Eastern Uganda.Under the 4Ps oil palm project, over 1,800 farmers have benefited. Some of the oilseed groups involved in the project include: TAABU Integrated Cooperative Society, Wadelai Produec Marketing, Nyaruvur Farmers Federation, Terego Framers, Atizuyo Group, Baniba Group, Temi Teki Copeerative Society, Owal Cooperative Society, Lakure Peko Pe Group, Wilobo Wire Group, Ocam Ringo Groups and Lacac Pe Lony Group.

During the review of the project on 13/11, the 4Ps SNV Project Manager, Nico Jansen said the project was intended to see how small holder farmers can partner with the private sector through strategic partnerships. The entire project targeted 20,000 farmers in the five countries. In Uganda 5,000 smallholder farmers have benefited from the three year project through various groups.

“We went through a rigorous process of identifying in each country which agribusinesses were active, those interested in working and buying from small holder farmers and match make them into a partnership. All partnerships were done on shared business plan by both players (farmers and private partners) linked up between SNV and other brokers, to ensure that each side is committed to something for sustainability. This was formalized in agreements on how to establish systems around quality control, transparency, pricing, volumes and how farmers get paid. This helps to build trust and confidence by holding both parties accountable,”Nico Janssen is an agriculture value chain and food security & nutrition specialist working as project manager in the agriculture sector team of SNV

"In this approach farmers/producers are regarded as partners but not as beneficiaries. This means they are involved in decision making and negotiations. A partnership to be effective, you must have a shared vision and dream and in most cases there is always market gap that always need to be addressed like a need for vegetable oil. Farmers are required to provide the relevant raw material to private sector for them to add value. If the country wants to promote commercial agriculture, then producers must be treated as partners because they have a big role to play as producers of the market. Issues like market access can easily be addressed through this approach because the buyers will always be available. Through this approach farmers can also get quality input with support from the private sector because they have an interest,”  Connie Magomu Masaba project manager, in Agriculture Ministry

Related:
The PPPCanvas
Businesses are increasingly involved in partnerships with CSOs and governments to jointly work on sustainable development challenges. For these Public Private Partnerships, a solid business case is very important. To formulate a sound business case, it is necessary to understand the entire business model, and describe the way an organization creates economic and social value.

To understand how PPPs can deliver added value, by creating business opportunities and a smarter business approach, PPPLab has developed the PPPCanvas, based on the Business Model Canvas of Alexander Osterwalder.

The PPPCanvas is a tool that can be used to analyze the business model of the PPP, including what value is being delivered, how partners aim to deliver this value and to whom exactly. Like the Business Model Canvas, it helps to visualize, design and pivot a business model.

Related:
Donor approaches towards food security PPPs. 

9 October 2017. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have become a promising approach for donor agencies to address pressing development challenges, such as food security. But what do donor approaches towards PPPs for food security actually look like and to what extent do these approaches differ from each other?

A student research project identified that donor PPP approaches towards food security are similar in terms of aims, definitions and the domains of food security that are addressed, however they show major differences when it comes towards the organisation and management of PPP programmes. In addition, approaches need to be understood within the institutional context where they emerge; they follow a certain tradition of the donor and reflect donor’s organisational key characteristics

Read a summary of the research here