When the wheel was first created in Mesopotamia some 5,500 years ago, did anyone imagine how often others would claim to have re-invented the concept? In development, we face a daunting amount of re-creating and well-funded silos that are not required to collaborate much. This triggers a cycle of missed opportunities and a lot of unfortunate waste.

I am pleased to acknowledge several of our partner organizations that consistently demonstrate the dynamic, collaborative approach to build collective impact. As we say at COSA, they cultivate “group genius.” By bridging diverse points of view, they ignite dialogue and cooperation. These valued partners include the InterAmerican Development Bank MIF, the Swiss Government (SECO), the Sustainable Food Lab, and a surprising number of major corporations.

Context is king in measuring sustainability.

Partnering with great organizations is a valuable part of that. Recent collaborations (see below) gave us indispensable perspectives on what’s really going on in agricultural communities around the world.

If we can be smart about sharing, we gain more insight than any single entity alone can. As the innovations in the June 2017 newsletter demonstrate, collective investments can improve our wheels rather than re-invent them.