Public-private partnerships have been criticised for underperforming on promises in recent years. But for development, well-managed alliances not only work, they can boost aid effectiveness too. Here is how.
Imagine a type of nut that could save hundreds of thousands of people in poor countries from starvation. In fact, imagine one that costs about $20 per child for a month, roughly the same as therapeutic milk, but which, unlike most other therapeutic foods, does not require preparation, is packaged, keeps fresh after opening, and can be easily transported and distributed directly to parents and children.
Now, imagine that all that was needed to get that nut out to the people most in need was investment in local production, know-how and promotion. Sounds far-fetched? Yet, such a nut exists, and thanks to a brilliantly simple initiative by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with Nutriset, a French food company dedicated to humanitarian nutrition solutions, it is now being used for famine relief...
To view the full version of this article please see OECD Observer: How to Make Development Partnerships Work.
