Identifying Equitable and Fitting Business Models for Infrastructure Projects

Abstract: Avoiding exploitation in the name of SDGs, GVC, and PPP

Global value chain (GVC) and public–private partnership (PPP) can be instrumental for sustainable development should they prioritize the benefits for the urban poor and smallholder farmers. The present development practice for GVC and PPP is designed to empower big corporations and bring forth the argument of “trickle down.” The debacle of international development has clearly indicated that there is no trickle-down effect. Hence, extra precaution is needed in employing PPP and GVC approaches to avoid unfairness against not only developing countries but also masses within developed countries. Traditionally empires were used to invest in infrastructure, road, ports, railroads, etc., to move commodities and goods to the market place. Repeating history could be disastrous if, to give market access to large corporations, infrastructure development is carried with MDB debt or PPPs backed by government guarantees and household tariffing.