Thinkpiece
Wrapping up with purpose: lessons on closing projects and partnerships... responsibly
CASA learning brief
- Published by
- CASA programme
This learning brief from CASA (Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness) shares lessons on responsibly closing projects and partnerships as the programme enters its seventh and final year.
With 97 agri-SME relationships across Ethiopia, Malawi, Nepal, and Rwanda nearing their conclusion, CASA teams met in February 2025 to reflect on how to manage closure effectively.
The brief emphasises that exits should be planned from the start, focusing on sustainability, scale, and partner independence.
Key lessons include:
- building trust-based relationships
- aligning expectations
- ensuring business continuity
- and reinforcing ownership of innovations
It also highlights the importance of collaborative reporting, strong record-keeping, knowledge management, and celebrating achievements.
Closure is presented not as an abrupt end but as a transition that empowers partners, sustains impact and opens pathways for future collaboration.
- See also Ailsa Buckley's blog: Because the best 'goodbye' sounds a lot like 'over to you'