Influencing Dutch policy makers by building evidence-based discussion Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Agriterra builds a project to facilitate an ongoing constructive and evidence-based public discussion in the Netherlands on how to achieve impact on smallholder farmers and their families with traid and aid. We do this according to our theory of change that debate and the right publicity will lead to a change in mindset amongst our primary target group, Dutch policy makers.

problem statementThe debate in the Netherlands is highly influenced by the representatives of the Golden Triangle, made up of government, private business and academia . The government has defined nine areas of excellence (Top Sectors) in order to enhance knowledge and innovation in these internationally renowned Dutch strengths. All are linked to far-reaching ambitions, like in the case of Agro & Food to develop sustainable food production. Obviously, the Netherlands has a lot to offer – although not always so obvious to everyone - with its high technologically developed agriculture and top-notch expertise in all related fields of food and agricultural production. Looking at the structure of Dutch agriculture, we see that family farming is still the basis of our system, however very highly developed.The promotion of the ‘Top Sector policy’ in relation to developing countries and emerging markets stresses this potential to deliver the technological input by means of exporting capital goods and applying for concessional loans to finance it. Agriterra has questioned this limited focus by stressing the export of expertise, the Dutch tacit knowledge associated with farmers’ leaders and cooperative experts. On the other hand, this development agency, linked to the employers’ associations in agriculture, also stresses that export of knowledge and capital, as well as all sourcing of produce and selling of products for agriculture in developing countries should happen involving farmers’ organizations and cooperatives in these countries . The golden triangle should be based on the so called Bottom of the Pyramid . It seems clear that development cooperation policies and top sector activities can highly contribute to smallholder farmers being lifted out of poverty. But in requires a change in mindset.The conference “Expanding Supply Chains Through Smallholder Engagement, A Roundtable Discussion Among Private Sector Actors” on December, 4-5 2012, in Washington, D.C. made clear that companies had started to reach out to the bottom of the pyramid; think of those with a need for supplies of agricultural produce from developing countries, like Starbucks, Ferrero, Ecom, Carrefour or Tesco and in our country AH and Royal Friesland Campina. The opportunities for getting associated with the companies in search for the bottom of the pyramid, and all kind of other national suppliers, service providers and buyers, presents the picture of a vast group of farmers that can be lifted out of poverty. It is of utmost importance that organized farmers are ready for connection to markets by increased productivity, increased quality and increased negotiating capacity.
Scope & ApproachFunded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Agriterra will set up a project to facilitate an ongoing constructive and evidence-based public discussion in the Netherlands on how to achieve impact on smallholder farmers and their families with trade and aid, being these components of the Dutch foreign aid policy. We do this according to our theory of change that debate and the right publicity will lead to a change in mindset amongst our primary target group, Dutch policy makers, which will at long last lead to strong agenda’s in favor of smallholders and their organizations.
This requires, a re-validation of the Dutch agricultural history, taking notice of the importance of the associational efforts of ordinary farmers to build the industry, an appreciation of all (technical, economic and human & social) assets of the Dutch top sector Agro & Food, a reorientation of the Dutch internationalization strategy including organized farmers as the base of the golden triangle and the integration of trade and aid in a way that it really impacts on food security and development; being these requirements the broad objectives of the project.This means working through public debates with informed public and stakeholder towards a political agenda that incorporates a vision on the role and position of smallholders in the developing world. It implies a change in the mindset of the industry leaders, government officials and leading scientists to envisage the incorporation of smallholders and their organizations in the Dutch internationalization strategy. It implies a more balanced approach in Dutch development cooperation by getting the important role of small holders higher on the political agenda. With the transition to Economic Affairs, we have seen a reduction in the notice taken in this. Although food security is a priority theme of Dutch development cooperation policy, we often miss clear targets about smallholders involvement and their organizations. There is an absolute need to include an agenda for agro & food, that combines Dutch and developing countries interests in this respect.
In order to address our primary target group in the right way and at the right time, we will start with analyzing current Dutch development policy. This will lead to themes or key moments in the project period on which it makes most sense to launch a paper. Also the international and domestic calendar might provide such moments on which dissemination of our reports would have most impact. Agriterra will also study the way this kind of debates have been conducted in other countries. For the debate in the Netherlands, it will form a steering group of several influential opinion leaders to steer the project, content wise, meaning they will brainstorm on each theme and help form the direction, they will mobilize participation and they will influence the debate itself.
We have thought of the following persons [please note, they are all to be contacted and to be confirmed]:- Dr. Cees Veerman, former minister of agriculture, former professor economics, agriculture and sociology at different Dutch universities, former president of the Board of Wageningen university, farmer in the Netherlands and France. Currently chairs the Society for preservation of Nature.- Dr. Evelyn Nguleka, first female President of the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU). Acted previously as their Vice-president and was chairperson of the Poultry Association of Zambia. She has been advocating for protecting local farmers and food producers and is a smallholder family farmer herself.- Mr. Albert Jan Maat, president of the Dutch farmers’ organization LTO Nederland, president of the European umbrella of farmers’ organizations and cooperatives COPA-COGECA, president of Agriterra; former member of the European parliament- Mrs. Agnes van Ardenne, former minister of development cooperation and former Permanent Representative at the UN FAO in Rome; currently chairs the Dutch Dairy Board.- Prof. dr. ir. Siem Korver, professor Food, Farming en Agribusiness, faculty Economics and business administration at the University of Tilburg. Director Public Affairs Food of Vion NV (meat related food), the second largest farmer-owned company of the Netherlands.- Mrs. Willemien Koning, Chair of the Dutch LTO women’s committee and of the Copa Cogeca Women’s Committee. She also runs a dairy farm in the Netherlands.- Mr. Dirk Elsen, director emerging markets Triodosbank and former managing director SNV development organization. Prior to his leadership at SNV, Mr. Elsen worked at Shell, the World Bank and ABN AMRO- Dr. Owen Roberts, vice-president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. Director, Research Communications at the University of Guelph, Canada.
In the selection process, one issue will be extensively discussed: the preparedness of the members to support the aims of this project as stated above. This steering group will be supported by Agriterra, debating house(s) and publicity & marketing houses, having thought of respectively De Balie and/or LTO Café, and Bex*communicatie maybe in combination with LokaalMondiaal. [none of the four has been contacted yet]
We will elaborate with the steering group six themes that will be highlighted in the next three years. Each of the themes will be preceded by a journalistic compilation of the issues at stake and a position paper, followed-up by a publicity and media campaign to alert stakeholders and the public on the issues at stake. Agriterra hosts the secretariat of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) and is therefore well-positioned to make this happen. The policy papers will help to educate and inform policy and may influence specific administrative policies. However, they will not aim to influence specific legislative/budgetary laws or policies. No specific legislative proposals, legislative budgets, or legislative recommendations will be included in the papers or discussed in the ensuing debates. Agriterra’s legal counsel ‘Dirkzwager advocaten en notarissen’ will see to it that this risk is avoided. 
For the first year, we hint at two themes, being:- The political consensus calls for integration of development agencies, governments, private business in a common effort to eradicate hunger and poverty. Aid and trade seems a perfect match. Development aid is no longer the only capital flowing into Africa, now businesses started to reach for the bottom of the pyramid. This raises some questions. Is the Dutch Good Growth Fund (supporting small/medium Dutch businesses and entrepreneurs in developing countries by facilitating financing for development-based local investments and exports) just a way for private companies to dip into the coffers of development cooperation? Is Dutch support meeting the needs of those it purports to serve? How is the involvement of private business in development cooperation in other OECD countries? Do other countries give more concessions? Is a bigger part of the development cooperation money re-invested in those donor countries? How do other countries look at the Dutch efforts?
- How does the Dutch government balance the interests of smallholder farmers and big business in development cooperation policies? Even more important might be if the smallholders do play a role at all in their considerations. Particularly for the Netherlands, with a highly developed and strong agricultural sector, we expect that they do so. Moreover as we are a country of family farmers, that are all very well organized, both in the defense of their interests (unions) as in commercial enterprises (coops). But even if the smallholders do play a role in the considerations of the Dutch government, we should investigate whether the balance is right. Are there any examples from other countries on how they evolve agencies and companies with local government and civil society organizations?
The other 4 themes will be dealt with in a later stage of the program.

- Inclusión de ACODEA como agriagencia miembro de AgriCord.- Participación en reuniones de AgriCord.- Estudio de vías de colaboración con otras agriagencias u otras entidades.- Asistencia a eventos de interés para ACODEA.