Phase 1: 2005-2008
In May 2004 the Minister for Development Cooperation established the Doornbos Commission (Gerard Doornbos, Piet Moerland, Tineke Lodders-Elfferich and Rudy Rabbinge) to investigate the possibility of setting up a partnership of Dutch development organisations, agri-businesses, the (financial) business community and knowledge institutions that could effectively and specifically address the needs and opportunities of producer organisations from developing countries. In the report Action plan of strategic partnership to strengthen producer organisation in the South (September 2004), the Commission concluded that there was sufficient support for such a partnership.
In March 2005 nineteen organisations signed a cooperation agreement with which Agri-ProFocus became a fact. Since then member organisations have pooled human and financial resources for the implementation of producer organisations support programmes, various learning events and follow-up activities. By the end of 2008 Agri-ProFocus had 27 members.
Phase 2: 2009-2012
During the past years a global awareness emerged that agriculture has too often been overlooked as a catalyst for economic development and poverty reduction. The worldwide food crisis that developed at the end of 2007, the World Development Report 2008 “Agriculture for Development” and the joint policy paper of DGIS and LNV “Agriculture, rural entrepreneurship and food security” (mid 2008) all stressed the urgency of taking both short-term and especially long-term sustainable measures concerning agricultural development.
Agri-ProFocus shows its relevance and innovative perspective on these contextual realities in the Strategic Plan 2009-2012. 'Promoting farmer entrepreneurship' is the main goal for the second phase of the Agri-ProFocus partnership. Through the facilitation of effective cooperation and by enhancing the capacity of producer organisations Agri-ProFocus intends to contribute to an enabling environment for farmer entrepreneurship.
The focus is on promoting farmer entrepreneurship, action-oriented country programmes, learning and innovation at the level of members and producer organisations, intensification of member commitment and stronger private sector involvement. The thematic issues that are tackled in particular are value chain development, access to financial services and sustainable food production, with gender as a cross-cutting theme.
Read more in the complete Strategic Plan 2009-2012 or in the Summary.
