The term 'public-private partnership' (PPP) suggests complementing
the need for governments, institutions, NGOs etc to deliver services by
using the strengths of the private sector such as efficiency,
cost-effectiveness and responsiveness to consumer needs. The advantages
of local public-private partnerships are numerous. Despite
synergistic objectives, working together in partnerships is not always
a straightforward process. Partnerships often bring together
stakeholders that have different interests and organisational
capacities, operate at different spatial and temporal scales and are
governed by divergent views and values. Partnerships do not eliminate
power and conflict between actors. Competition over agenda setting,
over resources and the distribution of benefits are ever-present in
partnerships, albeit a subtle or dissimulated way. It is important to
improve our understanding of how partnerships work, what their
limitations are and how they can be made to lead to more effective,
efficient, equitable and legitimate outcomes. ICRAF, Unilever and
others are working to empower the Allanblackia growers by promoting
diversity, sustainability and the tropical environment in which the
tree is found. A sustainable, biologically diverse system of growing
Allanblackia through this partnership will build effective policy
frameworks to support and address the particular needs in this industry
through involvement of all stakeholders with special emphasis on small
farmers for quality oil production and economically viable sector.
Novella Africa Partnership is developing a sustainable supply chain of a novel food oil with high stearene content that occurs in the Allanblackia genus of hitherto wild tree species found in humid forests and remnant tree stands of West, Central and East Africa. Initiated by Unilever, one of the world's leading food companies, the partnership is strengthened by four other international organisations working in six countries in Africa (Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania). The success of the Novella Partnership is firmly grounded on national partners who provide local context and expertise. The main international partners comprise:
- AAK – the world-s leading manufacturer of high value-added speciality vegetable fats, Denmark.
- ICRAF – CGIAR research centre with unrivalled tree crop development and agroforestry system expertise, Kenya.
- IUCN – the renowned intergovernmental conservation organisation, Switzerland.
- SNV – Netherlands Development Organisation with the worthy focus of fighting poverty and improving local governance in the South, Netherlands.
The National Agricultural Research Institutes and Stations (NARS) and local NGOs in collaboration with leading institutions are assisting with domestication research, sensitization and mobilizations of communities in collection of nuts. Together domestication and chain supply partners has established community-run Rural Resource Centres (RRCs) where technology on the planting and multiplication of AB is shared with the local communities. NARS is assisting ICRAF with domestication research are Forestry Institute of Ghana (FORIG), Tanzanian Forestry Conservation Group (TFCG), Forest and Bee keeping division (FBD)/Amani nature reserve (ANR), and Tanzania Forest Research Institute (TAFORI)
Local NGOs in mobilization of communities and collections are: market development organization -Tanzania (FAIDA MaLi), Institute of Cultural Affairs Tanzania (ICA-Tz), INADES Formation Tanzania (IFTz) and Institute of Cultural Affairs - Ghana (ICA). In Tanzania, together with NDTL they have a responsibity of managing Rural Resource Centre and regional nurseries to scaling up seedlings production to increase tree.
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Cameroon and Democratic Republi of Congo (DRC)
ICRAF
is using its facilities there to promote propagation of this species in the region. Our staffs there train partners staff and duplicate this work to their countries including monitoring Ghana and Nigeria work. Training has already taken place in Ghana and Nigeria under the guidance of our staff. The centre collaborates with Institut de Recherche et Developpement Agricole (IRAD), towards domestication of our priority tree species in the region.
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Ghana
Ghana acted as a pilot to get first experience that can be rolled out towards other countries in the region, hopefully then requiring less input of resources in those countries. Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) and International Tree Seed Centre
(ITSC - Ghana Chapter) are leading in domestication activities. (Inter-)national and regional organizations or institutions in Ghana involved in Novella Africa project primarily to conduct research, contribute to, biodiversity conservation, promoting sustainable forest management and improving the standard of living of the local population are:
Novel Development Ghana limited (NDGL) is a Ghanaian private company set-up in 2006 as an extension to the Project Novella in Ghana. The main contact at Unilever is Cyril Kattah (Novel Development Ghana Ltd - Company Director). It has a role of organizing and managing the entire Supply Chain of Allanblackia oil through partnerships with the key stakeholders like collectors and farmers, local businesses and various NGO’s. It is also providing a market for the finished products.
Forestry Institute of Ghana (FORIG) is the leading domestication research Institution in Ghana incollaboration with ICRAF to develop propagation and management protocols for Allanblackia parviflora. FORIG has also been working with IUCN to establish biological baselines to study effects of seeds harvesting to the biodiversity and development of the best-practice guidelines for this species.
International Tree Seed Centre (ITSC) is a privately owned commercial tree breeding organization based in Kumasi, Ghana. They have two nurseries in Offinso and Appeasuman and are working hand in hand with FORIG domestication research in Ghana
Institute for Cultural Affairs (ICA-Gh) has established socio-economic baselines for Allanblackia harvesting by engaging and educating the local community towards establishing a sustainable supply chain and biodiversity conservation.
Unilever had developed and organized local communities and their businesses for a profitable and sustainable Allanblackia (AB) supply chain in several African countries before being succeeded by local companies. In domestication they also established nurseries at TOPP and BOPP initially.
The World Conservation Union (IUCN) ensures sustainable and responsible use of the Allanblackia and of the tropical rainforests by drawing up best-practice guidelines for the sustainable harvesting of Allanblackia seeds. These guidelines have been developed to minimize threats to biodiversity aspects in wild picking and harvesting phase and ensure an environmentally sound and socially equitable way to be used by all stakeholders along the supply chain.They are exploring different ways to restore degraded landscapes by planting the native species like Allanblackia.
SNV is strengthening the capacity of local partner NGOs to achieve improved outputs and advises Unilever on the achievement of its development agenda.
Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
Friends of the Nation (FoN), Ghana – Its an NGO based in Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana. Friends of the Nation envisages a world where communities manage their environment in a sustainable and healthy manner and where equal opportunities exist for all people in the use of natural resources. By sustainable manner we mean in a manner that gives future generations the opportunity to enjoy an equal measure of utilisation of environmental functions whilst contributing to global environmental sustainability. The NGO serves as a catalyst towards increased action for sustainable natural resource management and health environment. Service to wetland and forest dependent communities as well as poor urban communities through education, training, networking and advocacy.
Forest Commission—Ghana
Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), Ghana – Nursery studies to raise vigorous seedlings for transplanting, methods and techniques to ensure seedling survival and establishment. Studies into plant population density and planting pattern to maximize planting density and minimize competition for resources for plant growth including light, water and nutrients. Tree canopy manipulation studies notably pruning to minimize intra- and inter-plant competition for light and also prevent the build up of pests and diseases.Studies on shade-fertilizer-crop yield relationships and the identification of suitable permanent and temporary shade for cocoa using Allanblackia species.
Heyeen-Aryeetey Ltd – a medium-sized refinery in Kassoa, Ghana; ensures productionof clude oil from harvested of Allanblackia seeds.
Victor Haulage Ltd – a logistics company, active in the west of Ghana ensures transportation of harvested of Allanblackia seeds to factory from buying centre to factory.
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Kenya
This is the headquarters for World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) which is coordinating Allanblackia domestication activities. ICRAF is leading the domestication strategy and on-farm cultivation work through our own work and that of national partners. Moreover, ICRAF is providing backstoping the National Agricultural Institutions and development Organizations as well as assisting farmers with advice and capacity building activities.They are sourcing, developing and deployment of quality germplasm (seedlings or clonal material); and tree breeding and improvement research (selection of trees, propagation conditions and participatory planting and management of trees on-farm) to ensure early fruit production.
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Liberia
Interchurch organisation for development co-operation (ICCO) works towards eradicting poverty and injustice in the world. It finance activities which stimulate and enable people improve the housing and living conditions. In Novella project it is focusing on exploring the options to develop the Allanblackia opportunity in Liberia.
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Netherlands
Unilever provide the guaranteed market and shared confidential corporate strategy, and mobilized local companies. Unilever wants to sustainably produce a sizable tonnage of Allanblackia oil per annum, with fair returns to collectors and local processors. It is committed to supporting a small-holder production base and stimulating demand for the oil but do not want to organize or control the supply chain. Along with the partners, they want to foster local enterprise associated with the raw material including transportation, oil extraction and providing a market for the finished products. The oil from the seeds is attractive to Unilever as it can be used for margarine production with less chemical processing, hence reducing ecological footprint through decreased energy use and chemical waste.
SNV is strengthening the capacity of local partner NGOs to achieve improved outputs and will advises Novel Development Companies and Unilever on the achievement of its development agenda.
Technoserve’s is working together with IUCN in ensuring that the Allanblackia supply chain is economically viable and that the local stakeholders have the capacity to gradually take over the management of the supply chain.
AAK (Aarhus Karlshamn) is a manufacturing company with speciality of value-added to vegetable fats and in the cosmetics industry. The products can be used as substitutes for butterfat and cocoa butter, trans-free solutions for fillings in chocolate and confectionary products, and in the cosmetics industry. It is helping Novella team to secure the market for oil by invest in the future growth of the supply through production of more trees.
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Nigeria
Domestication work started at IITA/ICRAF office in 2006. The key person is Paul Anegbeh. The value supply chain and domestication is up in three state and its headed by Idowu Ajibolu from Novel Developments Nigeria Ltd which succeeded Unilever Nigeria.
Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF)
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN)
Agriculture Development Programme (ADP), Nigeria;
ADP concept The ADPs were designed in response to a fall in agricultural productivity, and hence a concern to sustain domestic food supplies, as labor had moved out of agriculture into more remunerative activities that were benefitting from the oil boom. It examines the impact of the ADP on the farming operations of its target farmers and the adoption of the ADP's agricultural innovation, the farmer-related factors and the organizational factors that are associated with the impact of the ADP.
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Tanzania
In Tanzania, domestication activities are concentrated in Usamabara Mountains and South Nguru which are declared National Heritage sites. In East Usambara, research is contributing toward biodiversity conservation, promoting sustainable forest management and domestication is lead by Amani Nature Reserve (ANR)/ Forest and Beekeeping Division, Tanzania (FBD) and Tanzanian Forestry Conservation Group (TFCG) while in West Usambara it is lead by Tanzania Forest Research Institute (TAFORI) . They are establishing nurseries, gene banks for this species conservation and for future seed source. Novella Africa chain supply are both mobilize and organize chain supply and improving the standard of living of the local population as well as establishing and management of RRC to up-scale tree planting.
Amani Nature reserve (ANR)/Forest and Beekeeping Division – is one of the four Nature reserves in Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania and one of the 25 biodiversity hotspots. Its under Forest and Bee-keeping Division (FBD) in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Toursm. In collaboration with ICRAF, ANR one of the leading domestication institution in Tanzania. The central nursery is used for research and technology transfer to developing partners and farmers in Tanzania.
Tanzania Forestry Research Institute (TAFORI) like ANR is also working in collaboration with ICRAF to address the research component of the propagation methods and on-farm tree management towards contribute to domestication success of this species in Tanzania. They co-ordinate tree research activities in Tanzania to address technical areas and backstop other institutions and farmers.
Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG)is one of the domestication partner and biodivesty conservation related issues leader in Tanzania.
Novel Development Tanzania Ltd (NDTL) is a local private company responsible with managing the chain supply in Tanzania. The company establishment and management the local supply chain and it also co-ordinate the local partnership activities to ensure that collection centres are operating, farmers are paid, seed transported, processed in to oil and exported. This company succeeeded Unilever, Tanzania. NDTL is also key partner behind rural resources centres (RRC) in Tanzania where they are mass producing seedlings for on-farm planting from rsearch outputs.
Faida Market Link Tanzania (Faida MaLi)) is linking farmers to markets in Tanzania by empowerment farmers with business skills and management capacity through formation and establishment of strong farmer-producer groups.
INADES Formation Tanzania (INADES FTz) is mobilizing and capacity building farmer to form AB producer groups in Mvomero districts to help farmer's groups to access markets for their farm produces including Allanblackia nuts.
Institute of Cultural Affairs Tanzania (ICA Tz) is responsible with farmers mobilization, training anf formation of producer groups in Lushoto and Kilindi districtsin Tanzania
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