Private partners may include food and beverage companies, animal feed producers or hotels and restaurants with a focus on local sourcing of agricultural products. They often need an intermediary to work with farmers. EUCORD serves as a bridge between the business and the farmers, acting as mediator to train and coach farmers on good agricultural practices, proper use of irrigation, and post-harvest handling and then to link them to the offtaker.
Public partners may include Ministries of Agriculture and their local branches, with whom we often partner to build the capacity of farmers. EUCORD also collaborates with national agricultural research institutes, to introduce agricultural technologies developed by them.
These partnerships are a perfect match of objectives: EUCORD is looking for stable, long-term markets to foster economic growth in African rural communities. Private partners are looking for good quality products, a stable long-term market, and agricultural expertise.
As a non-profit organization, EUCORD can apply to bilateral and multilateral donors or private foundations that provide grants or contracts to support agricultural development. These public funds are often used to leverage cash and in-kind contributions from private sector partners.