WASFO , has since its inception recognised that the role of partnerships and collaborations in development efforts is critical for attainment of organisational goals and the ultimate vision of transforming lives of smallholder farmers. In SDP III, WASFO will nurture existing partnerships and cultivate new ones in relation to the outlined focus areas. From SDP I & II, WASFO has profiled a wide range of development initiatives that are in tandem with its vision and goals and as such WASFO maintains an open dialogue with all organisations and activities involved in smallholder farmer and rural development – both public and private sector. On the collaborating path, WASFO has been careful to ensure that it remains focused, first and foremost, on putting its core business activities into place. WASFO ’s development partnerships and strategic alliances have been built slowly and purposefully and, as WASFO has grown in its ability to bring resources to the table, it has crafted partnerships and alliances that work for all parties involved. SDP III will see WASFO collaborating with the following range of partners:

• Government and quasi-government institutions: policy and regulation rests on the shoulders of government and as such WASFO works in close collaboration with the Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security, Finance, Labour and Gender to ensure that various policies and procedures are developed and implemented for the benefit of smallholder farmers in areas of agriculture policy, agricultural budgetary allocation, child labour integration and gender mainstreaming and women empowerment. The Parliamentary Committee of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Parliamentary Committee on Finance and Budget provide a critical interface with WASFO in ensuring that national policies and programmes benefit the rural farmers. WASFO will continue to dialogue with these committees on such issues as farm input subsidy, ADMARC operations and taxation on agriculture equipment.
  
  WASFO will also participate actively in Public-Private platforms like the Private- Public Dialogue and the national trade Working Group which act as knowledge sharing avenues as well as developing alternatives.
  
  
• Research and extension delivery institutions: WASFO will continue to partner with research institutions such as ICRISAT, ICRAF and DARS to develop suitable varieties of select crops that are suitable for the current and changing climatic patterns. WASFO will provide its member associations with a deeper level of technical assistance by tapping and using resources available through ARET, ICRISAT, Bunda College and other specialty organisations including Department on agriculture extension services. By linking with these research institutions, WASFO will act as a conduit through which results from research on new technologies, crop varieties, farming methods and other such can go to the smallholder farmers.