| This Round Table Africa project targets the process of sustainable business development in Eastern and Southern Africa region, through a process of sector surveys, structured Policy Dialogue, matchmaking and capacity development. The survey will eventually cover 5 countries, 3 agricultural/industrial/service sectors per country, where research will be conducted to assess sustainable business perspectives and matchmaking between business and MGO actors sectors on regional and international scale. The surveys will be conducted primarily by African researchers, assigned as research associate of MSM and ESAMI, working under guidance of senior academic and development consultants from MSM. The research eventually will lead, next to the respective sector surveys, to academic publications and a dissertation, leading to the award of a Doctoral degree. Dissemination of the results is through a Roundtable mechanism, where various stakeholders from industry, government, NGO s and the development community will meet and follow up work in the form of matchmaking activities. In this process, the international corporations and the donor community engaged in funding of business development in Africa will be particular involved (in the Netherlands Cordaid, ICCO and various development banks). At the same time, the Roundtable mechanism is seen as platform for further policies supportive to sustainable business development in the region. As part of the program, ESAMI, as partner and beneficiary in the project, will be supported in the strengthening of its research competencies in sustainable business and consulting competencies in the execution of industrial surveys. |
