Empowering Development Organisations in the Global South through South- South Development Cooperation: Insights from Brazil, India, and South Africa

In the evolving landscape of global development, the South-South Development Cooperation (SSDC) model has emerged as a transformative alternative to the traditional North-South paradigm. SSDC prioritises sustainable development by fostering partnerships, grassroots engagement, and mutual learning among countries in the Global South. While much of the research on SSDC has focused on government-to-government collaborations, SSDC also seeks to dismantle the hierarchical donor-recipient framework that has historically dominated development work, often leaving Southern organisations marginalised.

Rethinking the Donor-Recipient Model

My experience working in international development inspired me to explore SSDC further. Over the years, I've observed a shift from a North-led development model to one that places greater emphasis on South-South collaboration. SSDC offers a promising alternative by promoting local ownership and mutual respect, which contrasts sharply with the traditional top-down approach that often disempowers Southern organisations. The donor-recipient model, historically driven by Global North actors, has roots in colonial and missionary efforts, where Western forms of development were imposed on so-called "backward" nations in the South. The North-South model is often viewed as one that perpetuated unequal power dynamics, limiting the agency of Southern partners.

In contrast, SSDC aims to create a more balanced development framework, where countries in the Global South collaborate as equals, learning from one another and addressing common challenges. By focusing on shared experiences and grassroots involvement, SSDC holds the potential to create more effective and sustainable development outcomes. This blog will summarise three examples of Global South led development organisation SSDC projects specifically focusing on initiatives from Brazil, India, and South Africa. These nations have played pivotal roles in advocating for SSDC as an alternative to North-South development. Through this lens, we can better understand how SSDC is reshaping global development and offering new paths to empowerment for nations in the Global South.

Brazil’s Role in SSDC: The Native Seeds Bank Partnership

Brazil has played a leading role in promoting SSDC, leveraging its own development experience to support its Global South partners. One standout initiative is the Native Seeds Bank Partnership, a collaborative effort involving NGOs from Brazil, Mozambique, and South Africa. This project focused on preserving indigenous seed varieties and restoring traditional farming practices, which were under threat from commercial agricultural interests.

What made this project unique was its grassroots-driven approach. Brazilian NGOs, such as the Brazilian Institute for Economic and Social Analysis (IBASE), took the lead in guiding African partners on technical cooperation, mapping local seed varieties, and educating communities on sustainable agriculture. The project allowed

participating organisations to learn from each other, fostering mutual respect and understanding—key elements of the SSDC philosophy.

While the initiative was not without challenges, such as resistance from governments and communication breakdowns, it demonstrated the potential for SSDC to empower local organisations by promoting horizontal cooperation and ensuring agency for all partners involved.

India’s Contribution: The SETU Africa Programme

Another notable example of SSDC in action is India’s SETU Africa Programme, led by the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). SEWA worked with grassroots organisations across Africa to empower women in agriculture and informal labour sectors. Through needs assessments, capacity-building workshops, and knowledge- sharing, SEWA promoted sustainable practices and economic self-reliance.

The SETU Africa Programme exemplified the SSDC principles of Ownership and Self-reliance by ensuring local organisations were directly involved in decision- making. This approach created a platform for collaboration, ensuring that the program was not merely about transferring resources, but also about empowering local actors to sustain their initiatives independently.

South Africa’s Role in Peacebuilding: The ACCORD Partnership

In South Africa, the ACCORD partnership (African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes) has been a key player in promoting peacebuilding and conflict resolution across Africa. Through partnerships with FemWise-Africa, ACCORD provided capacity-building programs for women mediators in conflict zones. While the initiative had some positive outcomes, it also highlighted ongoing challenges within the SSDC framework, such as the difficulty of achieving genuine horizontal collaboration between NGOs and governments.

The project revealed that, while SSDC rhetoric promotes equality and empowerment, it is often difficult to translate these ideals into practice. The absence of consistent follow-up and the domination of government-led decision-making processes can sometimes undermine the very principles SSDC aims to uphold.

Conclusion: The Path Forward for SSDC

The SSDC model holds immense potential to empower development organisations in the Global South by fostering equality, shared power, and grassroots-driven development. However, it was clear for SSDC to fully realise its promise, governments and international actors must align more closely with grassroots principles. This means giving local development organisations the autonomy to lead initiatives and fostering partnerships that prioritise community needs.

The successes of SSDC, as seen in India’s SETU Africa Programme, demonstrate the transformative power of truly participatory models. The challenge now lies in scaling these successes across the Global South, ensuring that SSDC evolves into a genuinely egalitarian model for global development.

By shifting the focus from government-to-government partnerships to grassroots leadership, SSDC can become a cornerstone of a more just and equitable global development system.