Strengthening Competitiveness, Agriculture, Livelihoods and Environment - Architecture and Engineering Support (SCALE A&E)

PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Planet Partnerships was engaged to identify and development investments that will modernize critical market systems and unlock constraints to growth in Malaita, the most populous island in the Solomon Islands.

We provided financial, economic, legal, environmental, and social expertise to select, evaluate, and recommend small-scale investments that could be constructed by USAID and operated by local businesses (with funding from the Pacific American Fund). Our team was instrumental in the development of a greenfield agro-processing hub at Gwaigeo, near the provincial capital of Auki, which included feasibility studies for several agribusiness processing plants to be hosted within the site. The projects and investment strategy proposed by our team at Gwaigeo were approved by USAID and the provincial government, with construction currently ongoing.

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Concept notes were prepared for 40+ investments in agribusiness, fisheries, irrigation, rural transport, logistics, and off-grid energy, in coordination with government stakeholders and leading businesses.

We completed market analysis and feasibility studies for 7 pilot projects and negotiated the grant of land from government to establish a greenfield agricultural processing hub at Gwaigeo (targeting coconut, cocoa, kava, and animal feed value chains).

In coordination with the Malaita Provincial Government, we advised on the structure and functional mandate of an Infrastructure Trust as the custodian of land ownership revenue from the Gwaigeo site with participation from community leaders and industry representatives.

On the basis of intensive dialogue with customary land owners and small-holder farmers, in addition to financial and market analysis, our team advised the provincial government and local community not to proceed with a US$3 million planned factory investment due to design flaws and concerns over social impacts.

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Pipeline investments identified and concept notes developed

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Number of private sector, government, and donor participants for several investment workshops

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Total capital investment value of all sub-projects within the Gwaigeo site