PARTNERSHIP AND LEARDERSHIP : Building Alliances for a Sustainable Future

A special thank also to the actors of collective efficiency with whom I am learning by doing... Abstract This paper proposes to give collective efficiency an explicit content: efficiency of collective initiative, cluster and network dynamics. For major actors within society, like farmers and small entrepreneurs, the only way to build sustainable development is through the strengthening of their collective efficiency. Important changes become possible with the implementation of self-driven learning processes and related multiple networks. They provide the necessary capabilities to deal with and adapt to necessary economic, social and cultural innovations, without losing the values of the group. Thefore, this concept could contribute to:-Orientate agriculture and industry development towards sustainability,-Promote development actors self-organisation, and create favourable conditions for the implementation of learning rather than transfer of technology processes, as a key condition for technical, social and organisational innovations,-Stimulate internal and external dialogue, by following up, assessing, self-assessing, piloting the achievements of collective initiatives and measuring efficiency in terms of economic, social and environmental sustainablility. This proposition is built on the presentation of two very distant case studies which illustrate convergence of theory and practice concerning sustainable development :-The organisational dynamics of organic agriculture in some European countries,-The industrial clustering, networking and flexible specialisation process of small and micro enterprises in Honduras, Central America.