Global Partnership Program
The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has established a transformative Agroenterprise Learning Alliance focusing on market-oriented agricultural practices to enhance food security and development in East and Southern Africa. This initiative emphasizes farmer group integration, market opportunity identification, and institutional collaboration. By leveraging high-value commodities and fostering relationships with research institutions, CRS aims to empower marginalized farmers, scale successful practices, and build resilient agricultural systems, ultimately preparing millions for the market.
Global Partnership Program
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Presentation Transcript
Global Partnership Program Inter-Regional Design Workshop September 11 – 15, 2006 Cairo, Egypt Tom Remington Catholic Relief Services
Presentation Outline • Catholic Relief Services • CRS-CIAT-FoodNet Agroenterprise Learning Alliance • Lessons learned & Looking to the future
CRS • Relief & Development Agency of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops • Large ($500 million) & Global (80 countries) • “CRS is the hub of the largest and most effective agriculture relief and development network in the world” • Either not seeing or refusing to see the need to embrace a market approach – need to move CRS out of the ‘comfort zone’
Shift from Food Security to Agroenterprise • First discussion in September 2001 in Entebbe • Learning Alliance with CIAT and FoodNet in 2002 • 8 countries in East & Southern Africa • 6 workshops from 2002 to 2006
Internal Results Completed the RAeD roadmap • Territory identification • Interest group formation • Market opportunity identification • Market chain analyses • Integrated agroenterprise activities
Country Performance • MOIs identified high value commodities – Ethiopia & Madagascar • MCAs resulted in paralysis • Eventual coalescence around the dual purpose pulses & legumes • Facilitated MCAs to move forward • More effective engagement of the IARCs
MOI - Commodity Focus • FFV – market gardening • Characterized by: • High costs – especially irrigation • Local markets • Challenge to scale • Start with current commodities • Farming system intensification • Institutional and farmer co-evolution – learning together • Pulses/Legumes but also Roots/Tubers • Low barriers to entry (financial and human)
From Effective to Efficient(and then Expansion) • Navy bean in Ethiopian Rift Valley • Two market premium varieties • Two export brokers • 3000 farmers • Chickpea & Pigeonpea in Northern Tanzania • 3 chickpea and 4 pigeonpea varieties • 2400 farmers
Agroenterprise Learning Alliance Embraced by CRS • Both the topic and the approach • From a learning to an action alliance in East Africa • New learning alliances in Southeast Asia, West Africa & South Asia (ongoing multi-institutional alliance in Latin America) • Farmer Group integration • Strategy for scaling up and scaling out
Greater Focus on Farmer Organizations • Identified gap in the learning alliance • Perceived strength of CRS & NGOs • Led to a CRS-CIAT Farmer Group Study Tour • 3 countries (Uganda, Bolivia, India) • Different types (CIAL, SHG, FFS, Market Groups etc.)
Farmer Group Internal Savings & Lending Financial Capital Self Help Group Social Capital Agriculture Learning Human Capital Agroenterprise Physical Capital Natural Resource Management Natural Capital
Farmer Group Focus • On the Farm Family • Small informal groups • Build on and strengthen existing social capital • Multi-functional • Flexible
Scaling Up & Out • Preparing Millions for the Market • Three scaling labs • India • Ethiopia • Tanzania • Increased scope • 35 countries in 7 CRS regions
The CRS Niche • Focus on farmers ‘left behind’ • Initially, focus on the dual purpose commodities • Informal first order farmer groups • Strong partnership with research for technology access and evaluation • Emphasis on internal savings & lending • Objective of both scale and scope
