New opportunities appear every day for the marketing of high-quality agricultural products to national middle-class and export. The demand for certified biological or fair trade products exceeds supply. Smart procurement policies of local governments, such as for school meals, can create new markets for local products. A major challenge for rural development is to realize these new business opportunities in an “inclusive” way, i.e. include male and female smallholder farmers in the new and existing value chains.

The development of strong producers’ organizations as intermediaries between farmers and markets is crucial. Realistic business plans have to be developed with them, identifying the markets and market requirements, as well as defining the organization’s role in the value chain. The organizations have to improve their relationship with new market partners, as well as with governmental agencies, to support their endeavour. Communication and transparency within the organization is crucial to keep members on board and management accountable.

Commandeur Consultancy is experienced with the formulation and evaluation of inclusive business projects, proposal writing and fund-raising and with the development of training-curricula for farmers’ organizations and project staff. We advise projects of local and regional governments for the development and implementation of their economic policies that include small-scale producers as economic agents and emphasize opportunity instead of charity.

Projects

Formulation of the WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature’s proposal for a private public partnership in River Basin Management in Colombia. Proposal presented to the Sustainable Water Fund (FDW) of the Netherlands’ Enterprise Agency (RVO). Total value € 2.0 m.

Design of a capacity strengthening strategy for economic producer organizations and meso-level development partners para Helvetas Guatemala, with the aim to enhance their role in specific market systems. Support to a successful related 18 million US$ project proposal, funded by the Swedish Embassy.

Review of project proposals submitted to an international funding facility of the UK Government.

Formulation of the WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature’s proposal for a private public partnership in River Basin Management in Myanmar. Proposal presented to the Sustainable Water Fund (FDW) of the Netherlands’ Enterprise Agency (RVO). Total value € 2.5 m.

Guest lecturer in an educational project of the Foundation Day for Change at Dutch high schools directed at the promotion of entrepreneurship among students, who at the same time support entrepreneurship in developing countries. Lecturer on micro-credit in developing countries and on business plan development; jury member for the assessment of the business plans pitched by students

Adviser for the conceptualization and operationalization of the € 18 m, 5 year strategic partnership of UTZ Certified and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. The partnership focuses on the strengthening of the lobby and advocacy capacity of NGO’s, Civil Society and local UTZ partners for inclusive growth and mainstreaming of sustainable farming in selected global agricultural sectors.

Lecturer for different universities in Sucre, Bolivia, on inclusive economic development topics, with outreach to other Andean countries. Coordinator and coach of a Value Chain Development e-learning program for SNV in West Africa, reaching around 50 mainly local advisors.

Formulation of the successful proposal by ICCO South-East Asia for a private public partnership for an inclusive business case in high premium rice in Central Java, Indonesia. Proposal for the Facility for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Food Security (FDOV) of the Netherlands’ Enterprise Agency (RVO). Total value € 1.9 m.

Formulation of a draft proposal for a partnership in inclusive business in certified coffee farming and marketing in India for the Facility for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Food Security (FDOV), of the Netherlands’ Enterprise Agency (RVO).

Development of a business plan for Isinú – Responsible Fashion and its presentation to New Venture, a programme to support aspiring entrepreneurs and start-up companies in the Netherlands.

Long term advice, training and coaching to the regional team of the German Development Cooperation on a methodology to train and coach farmers in business plan development and implementation. Norte de Potosí, Bolivia.

Coordination of an advisory team for SNV in Eastern Ghana, including support to fruit and honey value chains linking smallholder farmers with export firms, local/municipal economic development strategies.

Formulation of a joint DED – GTZ programme on the strengthening of local economic development in the Chaco Bolivia. The programme focuses on increasing the marketing capacity of small-scale farmer organizations and the capacities of local governments to facilitate the development of an economically-viable local private sector. The programme combines a pro-poor focus with business case development.

Formulation of a proposal for the development of a competitive, sustainable and inclusive value chain of honey in the Bolivian Chaco for the Fundación Chaco. The proposal focuses on training of producers, finance scheme to increase the number of beehives, strengthening of smallholder farmer organization for the processing and marketing of honey, and institutional linking with input providers, wholesalers and government agencies. Total value $ 830,000.

Coordination of an advisory team for SNV in the Bolivian Andes, including support to agriculture and tourism value chains, producer organization strengthening and local/municipal economic development strategies.

Coordination of an agricultural development project for SNV in Nicaragua, funded by the Dutch Embassy, focused on new profitable agro-forestry systems in colonization areas and setting up necessary institutional services.

Desk-study on the impact of biotechnology on the world trade of vegetable oils and fats. The study takes into account three different scenarios on development trends in international politics and economics (liberalization, protectionism, environmental sustainability)

Project proposals writing for SNV for various producer organizations in the Bolivian Andes, funded by the Dutch Embassy, NOVIB, ICCO and Cordaid, and advisory to their implementation.