Sector focus
We improve living standards and food security in rural areas by advising on effective use of development resources for modernising agriculture
Over the past years, the importance that many governments give to development of the agricultural sector has risen. Agribusiness development is crucial in this respect, specifically in view of the sector’s capacity to deliver employment and income opportunities, and for guaranteeing food security.
How we can help you
Agribusiness sectors often present significant growth potential. Governments and development partners identify strategic opportunities to promote investment through private sector-driven development approaches. By collaborating with other key partners, such as agri-finance and technical support providers, MSM assists in creating climate-smart agribusiness (CSA) clusters, value chain efficiency, and a practical and skills-based labour force.
We support governments and development partners in their efforts to create jobs and income in the agribusiness sector. We focus on quality results in the context of development cooperation policies. We propose result-oriented approaches that contribute to implementation of the SDGs, and to provide evidence of how results link to SDG’s, using cause-and-effect linkages between activities, outputs, outcomes and measurable impacts. In this way we support clients to contribute to SDG accountability, decision making, learning, and management in the agribusiness sector.
How we provide support on different levels
Our experts in agribusiness development are able to help you on individual, educational, organisational and institutional level.
| Focus area | Impact | For whom | Products | |
| Individual |
Among agribusiness actors there is an increasing need for knowledge and skills to manage change. Agribusiness is changing into a modernised, climate-smart and digitalised field. Practitioners need new means of support to adapt to disruptive forces, such as the effects of climate change. At the same time, they need to produce more with less to grow and contribute to food security. Farmers are at the frontlines of innovation which require new partnerships and networks. |
We build capacities of individuals that work in the agribusiness sector. We create impact by providing chain-wide trainings & workshops; part-time agribusiness degree programmes; and online short courses on a range of crucial agribusiness topics. |
Farm & SME managers from the private sector, Policy makers & practitioners from Government, Experts from development organisations & NGOs, Academic staff & researchers |
Agribusiness trainings & multi-actor workshops, online training, coaching, field and work visits, exposure visits, platform discussions |
| Educational |
In the agribusiness field there is a great need for national governments to improve the quality, relevance and accessibility of TVET college and Higher Education systems. For agribusiness growth to succeed and jobs to be created, education and training institutes need to perform better in creating a workforce of practical, skilled and open-minded graduates. |
We train management and teachers of education and training institutes in becoming firmly embedded in their agribusiness surroundings; in designing curricula and programmes that match with the current labour market needs; and in promoting inclusiveness at different levels in the organisation. |
Management & teachers from TVET & HE institutes, Government policy makers and practitioners, Experts from development organisations and NGOs |
Workshops, Short term training, on the job training, consulting advice on capacity development processes, identifying the key agribusiness components |
| Organisational |
To promote rural growth, national governments need to facilitate agribusiness SMEs in accessing finance & technology. Plans for this should be in line with national Agriculture Development Programmes (ADPs). Such processes require agribusiness stakeholders to be organised in clusters and capacitated to increase their absorption capacity. This will stimulate modernisation and increase efficiency in value chains. |
We identify and address key agribusiness management challenges and bottlenecks, provide value chain support through ecosystem and cluster building, and strengthen capacities of lead firms & farms to access agriculture finance for cluster growth. |
Farm & SME managers from the private sector, Policy makers & practitioners from, Government, Experts from development organisations & NGOs, Academic staff & researchers |
Training, workshops, custom-made training, agribusiness cluster development, consulting advice on building local partnerships |
| Institutional |
With agribusiness firms & farms being at the frontlines of innovation, it is increasingly essential for them to build new partnerships and networks. These can be sector or location-driven and should serve a wide spectrum of stakeholders that include the fields of financing, education, training, research and policy making. |
We support processes aimed at developing Triple Helix (3H) partnerships to support adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture practices. In doing so, we work with industry, education, government, and NGOs in the agribusiness sector. Jointly with these actors, we build and institutionalise their capacities to support successful service provision by the platform to agribusiness firms & farms and ensure long-term sustainability, including by connecting to policies and existing interventions. |
Farm & SME managers from the private sector, Policy makers & practitioners from Government, Experts from development organisations & NGOs, Academic staff & researchers |
Workshops, consulting advice on planning and implementing the Triple Helix approach |
Our impact in practice
Strengthening skills of TVET staff and students for optimising water usage & climate smart agriculture in South Africa
Through this project we combine the promotion of agriculture growth and sustainable & equitable water use. We concentrate on educating young people in the field of optimising water usage & climate smart agriculture. Together with our consortium partners we focus on improving the skills and employability of TVET graduates and the TVET programmes are being adapted to the needs of the agriculture and water labour market. Six TVET colleges are being capacitated – located in different provinces, and in both urban and rural areas. The focus is on five key themes:
- Developing and implementing a new occupational standard
- Matching the programmes with industry skills-needs
- Introducing a dual system and apprenticeship approach
- Providing an inclusive gender, youth & marginalised groups focus and practice
- Establish practical PPP support structures
This approach will be institutionalised in and supported by a Dutch-South African Triple helix platform, with multiple stakeholders from the education, private, and public sectors.
