When the 2SCALE project began to engage with HPW as the lead firm of the dried fruit partnership , the idea was to find a solution to this perennial pineapple sourcing problem . The farmers , already organised in cooperatives , got training on technical issues like pest management , health and safety procedures , traceability , and good agricultural practices . The farmers ’ yield began to increase but there was still a major problem : despite an agreement to sell to HPW , the farmers continued to sell to other buyers and processing companies just as they had been doing before entering into the partnership .
Changing mindsets … Building trust
When the idea was broached to begin to coach farmers in soft skills to improve the business interactions , HPW ’ s representatives did not think much of it . But they agreed to try it out . I facilitated coaching modules on building business relationships and on financial education , adapted for the nine farmer cooperatives linked to the company . In each of the nine cases , we had not only invited members of the cooperatives , but also other local value chain actors , including transporters , input dealers , credit providers , and some staff of the Department of Agriculture . I had trained some selected farmers of each cooperative and supported them now during the debates with the cluster actors ; they were becoming farmer coaches interacting with cluster actors . Soon after the discussions , the attitudes of the farmers began to visibly change towards HPW . We began to build their trust in the company ’ s intentions and the farmers came to act more in a collective way , seeing the advantage of doing business with a preferred value chain actor and buyer like HPW . This change in attitude has also increased the trust of the company in the farmers and their cooperatives . As a result of their improved relationship , the company initiated a contract farming arrangement , called “ block farming ” in which groups of ten farmers become fully supported by the company with all the necessary material inputs required to cultivate pineapples on one acre farms . The cost of the inputs is deducted when the farmers harvest the crop and supply it to HPW . The contract to this effect is signed between the farmers and the company . Lead farmers , most of them now also trained farmer coaches , manage and coordinate the activities of the group as a link between farmer members and the company . coaching sessions . The company has come to realise that coaching in soft skills is as important as technical ( hard skills ) training . In fact , HPW has gone out of its way to engage me as a consultant , outside the 2SCALE arrangement . Together with the farmer coaches and some company staff , I facilitate the business training on different themes , most recently on leadership skills , communication within and without the farmer groups , tracking of results . The farmers are also pleased with the training , as shown by a recent remark from Issaka Musah , Chairman of Pepawani Pineapple cooperative : “ This approach of field coaching has something special in it and is very different from most of the trainings that we received in the past . When we followed some of the principles taught to us during the last session on financial education , it was so easy for us to get a loan from the Agricultural Development Bank .” The farmers have also increased their commitment to selling their fruit to HPW since the coaching sessions . While previously they sold 30-50 % of their crop to the firm , they now sell 70-100 % to HPW . The email from Veronika Hofer is clear proof of how the farmers ’ attitudes have changed towards a more committed partnership . I am confident that I will receive more of these kinds of emails as the partnership deepens – and from now on , I will be walking with a skip , hand-in-hand with the farmers and HPW representatives .
Soft skills development and technical training going hand in hand
The result of all of this is that the farmers and HPW now have an enriched business relationship and commitment to each other . Both sides now look forward to the regular
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