Unraveling multi-stakeholder platforms and their impact on farmer

entrepreneurs in Africa – Case studies from Uganda

Noor Ali | Domenico Dentoni | Jos Bijman | Wageningen University

Overview

Setting the Scene – ‘where is the opportunity and why’

Conceptual Design – ‘what’

Technical Design – ‘How’

Results – ‘what did we achieve’

Interpretation & conclusion – ‘what does it mean’

Background | Why Africa, why agri-food sector?

Growth in Africa is partly jobless, partly inequitable

Development of agri-food sector is imperative

Growth five times more effective in reducing than others1

● 64 % of population in rural regions2

● 80 % total employment3

● 95% micro enterprises4

Assist farmer entrepreneurs Reduction in poverty

Solution: Inclusive coordination models (CMs) – E.g. Producer organisations,

buy led, NGO led networks, Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs)

Research objectives

Describe network structures, governance mechanisms and activities within

Agri-ProFocus (APF).

Give insights on extent and pathways through which APF’s financial services

via marketplace events impacts farmers.

Develop testable propositions conjecturing how structures and mechanisms

within APF and impact on farmer entrepreneurs.

Multi-stakeholder platforms

Farmer entrepreneurship

1

2

Research Framework – a short recap!

Agriculture and

food sector in

Uganda - industry

structure, policies,

regulations and key

challenges

Entrepreneurship

– mechanisms,

critical success

factors, problems

Multi-stakeholder

platforms (MSPs)

Background Study

Preliminary

contextual

understanding

Methodology

(interviews,

observations

& secondary

sources)

Understanding

of APF’s

structure &

impact analysis

of APF’s

financial

services via

marketplace

events on farmer

entrepreneurs

(Cross-group

comparison)

Interpretation of

results with

available

scientific

literature on

MSPs and

farmer

entrepreneurship

Development of

testable

propositions for

future research

Research Strategies | methods & sources

Theoretical sampling

APF personnel (4)Agri-Hub

members (14)Farmers (32)

Non-participants

Control

Participants-Local NGOs

-International NGOs

-Banks

-MFIs

-Government

-University

- D. of Programmes

- N.F Uganda

- Country

coordinator

- Asst. country

coordinator

2 regions

5 districts

10 FOs

In-depth face to face interviews & observations

Secondary documents – APF reports, plans

Results | The Agri-ProFocus network – Theory of Change

Establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform

Knowledge sharing and co-creation

Uptake by all stakeholders and

development of an effective

support system

Stronger farmer organizations &

entrepreneurs

Sphere of

‘Control’

Sphere of

‘Influence’

Sphere of

‘Interest’

Outcome

Output

Impact

The Board, Participants’ Council and

support team

Agri-Hub

I. community

Reg. committee

Agri-Hub Agri-Hub

I. community I. community

Reg. committee

Reg. committee

Results | The Agri-ProFocus network – Network structure & governance

Participants’ Council

(37 Dutch members)

Board

(5-7 members)

Support Office

Country Host Organization

Director Network

Facilitators

(5)

Admin.

Officers

(4)

Agri-Hub Coordination Team

Coordinator Assistant Linkage

Facilitator(Uganda)

Agri-Hub Advisory/Steering Committee

Innovation Communities

Regional Steering Committees

In The

Netherlands

In

Countries

Core Group

MSP 01

MSP 02

MSP 03

MSP 04

D.o.

Programmes

Network

structure &

governance

Results | stakeholders’ perspective – The Sphere of Influence

Networking

Information

sharing

Promotion &

marketing

Capacity building

Multi level structure

Online platforms

Independent &

connected broker

‘One – stop shop’

Decision-making at the

Agri-Hub level

Regional ‘marketplace

events’

International NGO

Local NGO

Commercial enterprises

Other

Propositions for further

research

Results | impact on farmers – The Sphere of Interest

Invitation to selected

cooperatives/ farmers’

groups to nominate

representative farmers

as participants (P)

Attendance of

selected

participants in the

agribusiness event

Dissemination of

knowledge from

participant to non-

participant farmers

(NP) within respective

cooperative/ group

Individual and

collective FO

benefits

Increase in awareness

of banks, MFIs and loan

procedures among

participant farmers (P)

APF’s planned impact pathway – Farmer organizations

Selected farmers

different than rest

-Socioeconomic

- Gender

Limited transfer of

knowledge Limited impact

observed

HOW?Fear and lack of

knowledge

Participant

selection

mechanism

Farmers

sensitization and

follow- up

Further avenues to

explore:

-Formalization of local

procedures

- Training of bank staff

- Translation of forms

Thank you –

Question & Comments?

References

1. The World Bank. (2008). World Development Report: Agriculture for Development.

Washington, D.C.

2. United Nations Development Programme. (2013). “Realizing Africa’s Wealth: Building

Inclusive Businesses for Shared Prosperity”.

3. McDade, B. E., & Spring, A. (2005). The ‘new generation of African entrepreneurs’:

networking to change the climate for business and private sector-led

development. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 17(1), 17-42.

4. Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved November 15, 2013, from www.ubos.org