Plan for contingencies in case key program assumptions fail. Although MCC attempted to foster buy-in from plantation owners to bolster FISP’s viability, the long-term sustainability of FISP benefits were negatively affected by the plantation owners’ unanticipated divergence away from the coconut industry. Apart from an increased risk of CLYD re-occurrence and beetle infestation, this development weakened smallholder outgrowers’ market linkages and sent MCC scrambling to try to find another partner that could fill the void left by the plantations. Recognizing that the Government of Mozambique was not positioned to sustain FISP gains in the post-Compact period, MCC tried to generate interest among other private sector players to invest in the continuation of the disease control activities. Despite these concerted efforts, MCC ultimately failed to identify a willing partner before the close of the Compact. The FISP experience provides a cautionary tale about anchoring a program’s long-term sustainability to the ongoing cooperation of the private sector. Considering that MCC has less leverage over these actors, early integration of contingency planning in the event that key assumptions undergirding the program logic fail can promote and secure long-term investment sustainability. Many of MCC’s subsequent Compact activities incorporate strategies that support such an approach including sustainability planning, capacity building, and coordination.
Lesson Learned