Becoming your own funder
2SCALE partnerships are part of the PPP (Private Public Partnership) order. The private sector, considered as the engine of development, must contribute to the implementation of activities. The payment of the service provider by the beneficiaries has proven to be a necessity to perpetuate the technical support of the BSS after the withdrawal of the program. Therefore, farmers committed to pay an annual fee of 8000 FCFA per farmer (that is about 13 USD) for the BSS services. The funds thus mobilized are used to cover the costs of monitoring files at the level of financial institutions, monitoring the repayment of loans, advisory support and other activities. By involving farmers in financing the BSS services, 2SCALE demonstrated that the ‘smallholder farmer’ can be its own ‘funder’.
A shared success
Considering the results of this experience, 2SCALE team in Mali decided to use the same model with its current partnerships. An exchange visit was organized between the actors of the former onion partnership and those of the current partnerships so that the last draw inspiration from this experience. The message was clear and business champions immediately came up with an action plan in order to introduce this best practice as soon as their activities started.
This successful experience will, apart from Mali, also be shared with the other countries of intervention of the program.