Lessons learned 

1. Projects can be implemented during a short time period with positive outcome if they build on established partnerships and profound local knowledge. 

2. It is possible to develop and maintain a sustainable business model where a larger part of the financial benefit is maintained by the local producers in developing countries. 

3. Training on financial literacy is key to well-managed small and micro enterprises. 

4. Women can lead entrepreneurial initiatives and financial management processes even in male dominated societies. 

5. Transformational change can be reached by enabling better decision-making on investments and more funding to fragile countries.

In Uganda, Mountain Harvest implemented a broad strategy to integrate community capacity building, documentation, and dissemination, which has been key for engaging local stakeholders and improving their understanding of the project organization. Best practices and lessons learned have been systematically documented, including annual farmer surveys, monitoring reports, and coffee quality assessments. Effective dialogues between the project and local farmers have also been achieved through annual farmer planning meetings. 

In Sudan, Near East Foundation’s (NEF) adaptive approach was crucial to achieve project results, engaging with 13 cooperatives through WhatsApp and ensuring the continuation of mobile transfers. Technical support and capacity building were provided through calls and data exchanges, while technical experts from the State Ministry of Agriculture and local volunteers facilitated flexible support. These lessons have set a new standard for NEF operations.

More details can be found in the final Terminal Evaluation report here.