Nestlé Prize in Creating Shared Value recognizes a project or innovation in the area of water, nutrition or rural development implemented by an NGO, individual or a small business. The Prize was first awarded in 2010 to International Development Enterprises (IDEC) in Cambodia for its innovative, market-based approach to increasing agricultural productivity and income for Cambodian smallholder farmers.
The strategy applied by IDE for this was to create a network of small entrepreneurs known as “Farm Business Advisors” (FBAs) who work independently to provide high-quality products and advice to small-scale farmers so that the latter can improve their farming techniques and income. The FBAs work like franchisees linked to a central franchisor that provides training and business support. One interesting product marketed by FBAs is the affordable drip irrigation kit, which reduces water use and labour while improving yields.
An important element of sustainability in the project is the co-dependence of the FBAs and the small-scale farmers. If the small-scale farmers use their services and improve their income, the FBAs also earn revenue and profit from their services.
The Nestlé Prize helped expand the project by scaling up the services to an additional 20,000 people in Cambodia. To learn more about this project, visit this link and watch the video below.
