Cross-sector development partnerships (CSDPS) are considered mechanisms for collaborative value creation at the societal, organisational and individual level. However, a criticism of these types of multi-stakeholder approaches is that many times, beneficiaries – a crucial stakeholder – are merely at the receiving end of the value creation process. The concept of ‘beneficiary voice’ highlights that “beneficiaries have the responsibility to communicate openly and explicitly in order to facilitate understanding” for the partnership. Through the involvement in ongoing dialogues, beneficiaries can be regarded as committed participants in enhancing project impact. Simultaneously, providing them a voice further contributes to the capacity building and empowering process in communities. Researchers from the Partnerships Resource Centre (PrC) met a number of coffee growers who had participated in a partnership project in the coffee sector in the region of Nariño (Colombia). The objective was to learn about their needs, their contributions, experiences and challenges with the partnership project, and to discover the value they have gained from being part of the partnership. As such, it constitutes an attempt to contribute towards realising the importance of giving beneficiaries a voice. These farmer stories from 2013 have been compiled in a publication available for download in English and Spanish:
