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Partnering is key to the City of Cape Town’s Growth Coalition Platform

Author: Brian Adams

 

Effective collaboration will benefit public and private sector partners in new Growth Coalition platform, convened by the EDP.

Credit: City of Cape Town

The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Development Alderman James Vos this week launched the Food and Beverage Growth Coalition together with the industry business partners, as part of the City’s Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy. 

Convened by the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership (EDP), the Food and Beverage Growth Coalition is an independent platform that will help government and business leaders develop a reciprocal relationship of responsibility and accountability.   

Coalition partners will define and analyse problems affecting the food and beverage industry with a focus on facilitating reforms and conditions to help unlock job creation, skills development, and business opportunities – all towards the end-goal of sustainable economic development.

In addition to regular structured interactions throughout the year, the Growth Coalition members are invited to create focused working groups to respond to specific issues that they have identified and to proactively identify opportunities in logistics and skills development as well as trade and the informal economy. Close attention will be paid to translating dialogue into action between meetings. 

Collaborative partnerships between all sectors

Both the public and private sectors will bring huge value to the Growth Coalition with their unique and informed perspectives about economic growth.

For example, the public sector is best placed to guide the private sector in  navigating the often-complicated public sector authorising environment, while keeping the Growth Coalition informed on what is being done to address pressing cross-cutting enabling issues such as energy, water, infrastructure, safety, transport and mobility, among others.  

Business leaders, on the other hand, bring their expertise in identifying growth constraints and market opportunities, and can provide the required intelligence to guide the coalition towards solutions. Businesses are  also able to unlock profitable and relational opportunities between producers, manufacturers and retailers in the industry value chain. 

The food and beverage sector should be at the forefront of addressing issues such environmental and social impact, and health and nutrition. Growth Coalition partners can work together to identify and respond to issues and sustainability trends that will affect investment decisions in the future, such as decarbonisation, digitalisation, population growth, inequality, and potential changes in food production, distribution, consumption and waste management. 

The Growth Coalition will be further strengthened by building partnerships with academic and research networks, as well as civil society organisations. 

The first meeting for the Food and Beverage Growth has been scheduled for the Tuesday 25 October 2022. The agenda will be co-developed with participants and other industry players are invited to join the conversation.

To find out more or join the platform contact Brian Adams, EDP Programme Lead brian@wcedp.co.za