Private sector partnerships - engaging in expanded private sector partnerships

Exploring the value of extended collaboration

Up until recently, Engineers without Borders Denmark (EWB–DK) has mainly collaborated with both governments and other NGOs in order to get local projects implemented. However, as a new strategy EWB has gone into partnership with the private sector. Through the cooperation between the 3 partners: NGO (EWB), private sector (Chaplon tea) and Farmer union (Small Organic Farmers Association), the hope is to secure a better economy and higher living standard for the tea farmers in Sri Lanka.

The main goal of the project is the transfer of technology developed by EWB, demonstrated and introduced into the sector of tea production by Chaplon and then given to SOFA for the benefit of the small farmers in Sri Lanka. Partnerships between NGO´s and the private sector can secure this transfer of technology in a sustainable way. Furthermore, these partnerships can secure that training takes place and that the new technology becomes an integrated and more sustainable way of producing and processing tea.

The approach follows the 2015 UN goals:

Target 8.F:

In cooperation with the private sector, make available benefits of new technologies, ….

Introducing a new method of production and processing secure a more sustainable development from the point of natural resource management. Climate change and the monsoon rainfall pattern have caused landslides in the area in 2014. The commercial partner Chaplon introduces organic farming in tea production inspired by classical Japanese tea production to reduce the risk of landslides.
It differs from traditional growing in the following ways:

• Use of compost and manure instead artificial fertilizers
• Use of human labour instead of machines
• Use of trees interplanted with the tea bushes as a way of erosion control and to prevent landslides as well as to give shades and prevent that soil and plants are dehydrated.

A technology developed by EWB–DK to use solar energy for the construction of a drier constructed by cheap material available in Sri Lanka will secure that the small organic farmer gets more independence and control over the whole process from growing tea to picking, drying and packing ready for the consumer.

This three-partnership model is ideal when it comes to:

• Creating more employment and more demands for labour
• Increasing income and living standards
• Empowerment of small farmers
• Better protection of the environment
• Transfer of technology

EWB-DK perceives this new approach as a cornerstone in its work on food security and economic development.
The abovementioned types of projects and activities on food security and economic development based on private/public/NGO partnerships are an important new venue to explore.

Read more about the collaborations on Engineers Without Borders’ webpage www.iug.dk or contact info@iug.dk if you have any questions on the topic or how EWB–DK work.