Netherlands Public Private Partnerships Aimed at Co-Innovation in the Potato Value Chain in Emerging Markets

Since 2013 the Netherlands Ministries of Economic and Foreign Affairs has been involved in private companies in research and development (R&D) in developing countries. This in a policy going “from aid to trade”. Especially in upcoming markets, R&D is carried out through Public Private Partnerships. Such partnerships not only include R&D organizations in the two countries but specifically also include businesses in both countries. This was to assure a logical flow of material and knowledge by all parties involved. Half of an R&D project is funded by the ministry and the rest is covered by a consortium of companies that contribute in kind and in cash. The policy is aimed at stimulating business development in developing countries and the Netherlands through cooperation and joint R&D. The paper explains how eleven consortia around potato business opportunities were formed, their R&D need was elicited and R&D projects formulated in the Asian countries China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and Ethiopia and Kenya in Africa. In common are fact finding and descriptions of cropping systems, yield gap analysis and value chains in each country. Emphases differ with China looking for an integrated system of field operations, India for optimization of storage and processing, Indonesia to reduce pesticide and nutrient inputs, Vietnam for widening the varietal base, Bangladesh for combating late blight, Myanmar for cultural practices that lead to increased yield, Ethiopia where a potato processing unit is being established and Kenya importing seed potato from the Netherlands. Some content information is given as examples to illustrate the approach and some preliminary conclusion are discussed.