Upscaling private sector dryland investment through matchmaking

Climate change in African drylands requires countervailing investments to restore ecosystems and secure inclusive economic opportunities.

In the wake of falling official development assistance, the focus is shifting towards greater private sector investment in diversified green value chains, which incentivise cultivation and rearing of multiple crops, trees and livestock to achieve more resilient dryland landscapes and livelihoods.

This is a big ask. Progressive buyers or ‘offtakers’ and financial investors are thin on the ground in these challenging environments. But market links between smallholder producer organisations and companies give hope.

In this briefing we share three successful examples of smallholder producer and private sector collaboration, from Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and discuss how ‘matchmaking’ events can increase opportunities for upscaling such market links, contributing to ecosystem restoration and reduced outmigration.