Effective Stakeholder Involvement at the Base of the Pyramid: The Case of Rabobank

In this essay, we explore the role of Rabobank in dealing with the wicked problem of food security in general and of smallholder inclusion into food value chains in particular. In the first part of the essay, we focus on the (social) expectations of stakeholders with regard to Rabobank’s role in BoP management, the way stakeholder expectations are managed and the way Rabobank collaborates with multiple stakeholders in the value chains in order achieve their economic and social goals. In the second part, we explore how Rabobank Foundation, an independent non-profit organization which is funded by the Rabobank Group, contributes to the achievement of these goals at the BoP; by a unique collaboration between the for-profit and not-for-profit activities of the Rabobank, together with their customers and other stakeholders, Rabobank is able to achieve both its economic and social goals at the BoP.