Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships

What’s happened to the state of the field in #MSR since 2022? The latest update to @USAID’s #MarketSystems #Resilience (MSR) State of the Field Map is here—now featuring 53 programs across 29 countries. That’s 50% more programs than two years ago. ??? Access the resource: https://lnkd.in/dWeXZAZY This is more than just a map though—use this as a #tool to better understand how MSR is being applied in both programs and research/learning initiatives, help you to identify opportunities for collaboration, and share knowledge. Whether you're seeking key contacts, publications, or practical insights, this interactive map provides the details you need to engage with others in building more resilient market systems. Thank you to Vikāra Institute (especially Abigail M.) for this work, developed in collaboration with the MSR Community of Practice under the Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) Activity led by DAI.? #MarketSystems #Resilience #InternationalDevelopment?

?? Join BEAM Exchange on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 9 AM EST for a one-hour webinar on the impact of long-running Market Systems Development (MSD) programs in reducing global poverty. The webinar will explore how ex-post evaluations are affirming long-term success and growth, while also addressing the critical need for enhanced transparency and accountability. Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) is excited to highlight contributions from USAID’s #ex-post series, which played a significant role in BEAM Exchange’s comprehensive review of the evidence supporting the MSD approach. Don't miss the opportunity to hear from Ben Fowler of MarketShare Associates (MSA), Ajla Vilogorac, Director of GEDSI & MERL, CAPRED, and Tom Hilton, Freelance Economist and Author of the Evidence Review, as they unpack the findings. ?? Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/gBZENsNT. Read more about the sustainability and scalability of MSD activities through USAID's Ex-Post Study Series synthesizing findings from evaluations in Senegal and Ghana here: https://lnkd.in/eT_mvGMw #MarketSystems #internationdevelopment? #Webinar #Transparency

??What’s happened since USAID launched its Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Policy five years ago? Engage with the findings from USAID’s newly published PSE Policy Implementation Assessment (PIA), which we are proud to have conducted on behalf of the Agency. The PSE PIA reviews the impact of the Policy five years on and notes progress, areas for growth, lessons learned, and recommends a set of actions for key stakeholders to further advance the vision of the PSE Policy.? Scroll through the infographic below for a quick snapshot of results. ??Access the full report and executive summary: https://bit.ly/PSEPIA ?? ?????? ????????????????: ? Broad Recognition: The PSE Policy is now the second most recognized policy within USAID. USAID staff are broadly aware of the Policy, which helped most staff move away from considering whether USAID should work with the private sector to how USAID should work with the private sector. ? Integration in Planning: 92% of Regional/CDCS now include PSE in their strategic approaches (but only 35% explicitly include PSE in the results framework, important to incentivizing strategic PSE as a core component of a Mission’s activity portfolio). ? 35% of PSE Advisors, across Missions, report having an active PSE Working Group.? ? Leadership Support: 72% of Mission Directors prioritize PSE, with 25% actively investing in its advancement. ? Expanding Engagement Modalities: The Policy has enhanced familiarity with a variety of engagement modalities, although only 19% of PSE Advisors said the Policy influenced their actual practice of offering non-financial engagement or collaboration opportunities. ? Dedicated Advisors: USAID boasts 134 PSE Advisors across 116 MBIOs, although only 40% dedicate more than half of their time to fulfilling PSE functions. ?? ?????? ?? ???????????????? ?????????????????????????????? to Further USAID’s PSE Progress:? ? Elevate the strategic value of private sector collaboration? ? Expand the use of fit-for-purpose engagement models? ? Formalize PSE Advisor roles to enhance strategic engagement ? Establish a PSE-led Structure to support PSE Advisors ? Implement the Private Sector Action Plan as a standard for engagement? The Policy and this assessment demonstrate USAID’s dedication to continuing along the pathway of a major cultural and operational change within the Agency to support its vision for PSE. Assessments like these are a key component of USAID’s commitment to continuous learning and accountability. Thank you to MSP’s Daniella Maor of DAI and Stephanie Monschein of Dexis Consulting Group for their incredible dedication in leading this work and authoring this assessment, which was overseen by Lesley Hsu and Tatiana Pulido at the PSE Hub. Thank you to the many USAID staff around the world who provided valuable insights via interviews, FGDs, surveys, and workshops, as well as a number of implementers.?

Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) is here in Cape Town, and we’re excited about this year’s Market Systems Symposium! This year’s event is packed with interesting summits, including the Climate Finance & Greening of Finance & Investments Summit, where MSP’s Nathan Hulley will be a panelist. The summit will focus on the integration of climate change risks into financial services, exploring innovative climate-specific financing mechanisms and their role in greening financial market systems. Discussions will cover how financial services can support market, political, and social systems in managing climate risks, with recommendations for further learning. In addition, MSP’s Ryan Bourque will provide an overview of the newly developed Market Systems Analysis Toolkit. This interactive resource is designed to offer implementers, donors, and practitioners detailed guidance, resources, and tools on current good practices for planning and conducting Market Systems Analyses (MSAs) and developing effective follow-up strategies. MarketShare Associates's, Jennifer King, will be leading a tool clinic on the Women-Inclusive Return on Investment (WI-ROI) Framework which builds on an existing body of evidence and research around the business case for investing in women’s inclusion We look forward to connecting with both familiar and new faces, including over 15 scholars from around the world selected from a highly competitive applicant pool. MSP was thrilled to sponsor the MSS scholarship program again this year, and happy to see other programs/funders pooling in as well. Check out the agenda for #MSS2024 to see a full list of this year’s sessions and panelists. A special thank you to Vikāra Institute for hosting this event! Symposium 2024 | Vikāra Institute (vikarainstitute.org)

?? We are excited to announce the Climate-Related Microinsurance Pilot Request for Proposals (RFP). This RFP offers qualified firms the opportunity to collaborate with Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) and USAID to pilot a climate-related insurance product benefiting at least 2,500 smallholder farmers in Kongo Central, #DRC. Details: https://lnkd.in/e2AbcR48 ?? Apply by November 11, 2024. ?? Final questions are due by October 25, 2024. Work under this subcontract will focus on developing and pilot testing a climate-related insurance as well as bundling options to ensure that the product is financially viable beyond this initial pilot. Key tasks will include: ?Market Analysis ?Product development, pricing and evaluation (in conjunction with local insurer) ?Farmer sensitization ?Product roll-out? ? Assessing pilot effectiveness and sharing with industry stakeholders #marketsystems #privatesector #accesstofinance #internationaldevelopment --- ?? Nous sommes ravis d'annoncer le lancement de l'Appel à Propositions (RFP) pour le projet pilote de Microassurance liée au climat. Cet appel à propositions offre aux entreprises qualifiées l'opportunité de collaborer avec Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) et USAID pour tester un produit d'assurance lié au climat bénéficiant à au moins 2 500 petits exploitants agricoles dans le Kongo Central, #RDC. Détails : https://lnkd.in/e2AbcR48 ?? Postulez avant le 11 novembre 2024.? ?? Les dernières questions doivent être soumises d'ici le 25 octobre 2024. Le travail sous ce sous-contrat se concentrera sur le développement et le test d'un produit d'assurance lié au climat, ainsi que sur des options d'assemblage pour garantir que le produit soit financièrement viable au-delà de ce pilote initial. Les taches clés incluront : ? Analyse de marché ? Développement de produit, tarification et évaluation (en collaboration avec un assureur local) ? Sensibilisation des agriculteurs ? Déploiement du produit ? évaluation de l'efficacité du pilote et partage avec les acteurs du secteur #systèmesdemarché #secteprivé #accèsaufinancement #développementinternational

??We are excited to share that our Market Systems Development (MSD) 101 Brief is now available en fran?ais y espa?ol. This concise 7-page brief distills the essential concepts of the MSD approach, aiming to present these ideas straightforwardly to foster a shared understanding of MSD, especially for those who may be unfamiliar with its terminology and principles. Please help us share this widely with colleagues, partners, and projects who could benefit from having this brief in French and Spanish. French brief: https://lnkd.in/dhMupW4N Spanish brief: https://lnkd.in/gD9Y-wSF For more MSD-related resources in French and Spanish, be sure to check out our French and Spanish resource landing pages: https://lnkd.in/eHMdtVPg and https://lnkd.in/etPrfd_c. ??Translating resources is one avenue that we are exploring to make sure our resources are accessible to a wider audience. We are looking into translating this MSD 101 Brief into Arabic, Kiswahili, and Russian, and are open to translating it into more languages if there is enough demand. If you would like to see this in another language for a particular project or use case, please reach out to Ryan at [email protected] -- ?? Nous sommes ravis de vous annoncer que notre document ? Développement des systèmes de marché (DSM) 101 ? est désormais disponible en fran?ais et en espagnol. Ce document concis de 7 pages distille les concepts essentiels de l'approche DSM, avec pour objectif de présenter ces idées de manière simple afin de favoriser une compréhension partagée du DSM, en particulier pour ceux qui ne sont pas familiers avec sa terminologie et ses principles. Nous vous invitons à le partager largement avec vos collègues, partenaires et projets susceptibles de bénéficier de ce document en fran?ais et en espagnol. Liens ci-dessus. -- ?? Nos complace anunciar que nuestro documento informativo sobre el Desarrollo de Sistemas de Mercado (DSM) 101 ya está disponible en francés y en espa?ol. Este breve documento de 7 páginas resume los conceptos esenciales del enfoque DSM, con el objetivo de presentar estas ideas de manera sencilla para fomentar una comprensión compartida del DSM, especialmente para quienes no están familiarizados con su terminología y principios. Les pedimos que nos ayuden a compartirlo ampliamente con colegas, socios y proyectos que puedan beneficiarse de tener este documento en francés y espa?ol. Enlaces arriba.

Do the impacts of MSD activities #sustain and #scale after close? The answer lies at the core of MSD, and USAID is investing in a global series of evaluations through MSP to investigate this question. MSP’s recently published evidence synthesis tackles this head-on, synthesizing evidence across the two #ex-post evaluations conducted thus far.? The highly visualized brief?(scroll through below) captures key findings that bolster the evidence base for MSD.?https://lnkd.in/eT_mvGMw ?? Check it out for data-rich findings on sustainability, scale, and #benefits for target populations (e.g. yields, incomes, the scale of engagement, and satisfaction with the business model).? The brief closes by spotlighting six #implications for future programming, including the importance of building trust, tailored measurement, and smart use of subsidies. Thank you to Ben Fowler, Marrium Khan, and Khaled Khan of MarketShare Associates for compiling this brief, conducted through USAID’s Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) Activity led by DAI. The ex-post series is overseen at MSP by Anna Garloch, and the series benefits greatly from the support of a technical advisory committee Kristin O'Planick at USAID/REFS, Rachel Shah at Mercy Corps, and Tatiana Pulido in USAID’s PSE Hub.

We are excited to be at the Donor Committee for Enterprise Development Global Seminar this week. It's been six years since the last seminar and much has changed in the field. This year's seminar is focusing extensively on climate as well as applying MSD principles to fragile and conflict affected settings. Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships will be presenting a forthcoming market systems analysis (MSA) toolkit during three micro clinics over the course of the three-day seminar, with conversations focused on how to set up and design an MSA, how to run one, and how to utilize results to inform strategy. We will also be speaking during a session on understanding and interpreting donor guidelines in ways that enable projects to achieve their systemic change objectives. If you are at the seminar, be sure to say hi to Ryan Bourque and Ben Fowler from MSP! Glad to be here with Kristin O'Planick Market Systems Team Lead at USAID as well.

In honor of #InternationalCoffeeDay this week, join us in raising a cup! This year’s theme is collaboration, focusing on often unseen actors across the global value chain and their efforts to ensure quality for customers and sustainability for their businesses. Learn more about MSP’s work in the coffee sector below and how collaborating with private sector partners can achieve development objectives. USAID, through the Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) Activity, co-invests with private sector companies to test innovative business models in various value chains, including coffee. ????????????? Collaborating with private sector actors of all shapes and sizes is integral to a comprehensive PSE approach, but when does it make sense to partner with a multinational corporation (MNC)? Swipe through the carousel to see what MSP partners VIRUNGA COFFEE, Northern Coffee Corporation Ltd (NCCL), and Aviv Coffee Plantation—all locally managed subsidiaries of ofi — are doing to innovate coffee production and collaboration with private sector actors: ? Piloting innovative business practices and expanding supply chains: one of the benefits of working with an MNC is their ability to take on riskier investments, including those that involve testing new products or approaches and operating in challenging political contexts. Through its partnership with MSP, ofi is planting a disease-resistant variety of Arabica coffee called Miracle that is resistant to coffee berry disease and leaf rust. ? Strengthening supply chains by investing in production and postharvest technology: access to higher quality inputs improves farmer yields and incomes. A common issue among farmers is access to quality inputs and agronomic training. MNCs are often well suited to source high quality inputs more efficiently and deliver agronomic training at scale. Through its partnership with MSP, ofi is improving farmer access to high quality coffee varieties in the DRC. ?Addressing sustainability and carbon emission reduction: for example, only 17% of the coffee cherry can be transformed into an exportable product, which leaves behind tons of coffee residue that decomposes and causes harmful methane emissions. Through its partnerships with MSP, ofi is using that residue and decarbonizing its supply chain through improved composting, biochar production, wastewater aeration, and the development of a new product: cascara. As an MNC, ofi will be able to scale promising innovations across its global operations and influence other local actors. #ICD2024 #EmbraceCollaboration #Coffee #Cascara #marketsystems #privatesectorengagement

As we approach the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (#IDAFLW), MSP is excited to share perspectives from seven of its FLW mitigation partners, collected and curated by Mark Pigott and Courtney Cantwell in their latest blog “Unlocking Business Value Through Food Loss & Waste Mitigation: Insights from MSP’s FLW Accelerator Entrepreneurs.” https://lnkd.in/dwpgw4yF USAID’s Feed the Future Food Loss and Waste Accelerator, implemented by Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) Activity, is co-investing with private sector companies to de-risk their investment in FLW mitigation through two-year, payment-for-results partnerships. MSP manages a portfolio of 15 partnerships in Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tanzania. As part of their recent monitoring visit to #Kenya and #Tanzania, Mark and Courtney interviewed seven of those partners, including Aviv Tanzania, Best Tropical Fruits, Chanzi, EA Foods, GBRI Business Solutions, Kentaste, and Regen Organics. To better understand their motivations and operating realities as FLW mitigation entrepreneurs, we asked: 1) What was your biggest motivating factor for prioritizing FLW mitigation in your business? 2) Why do you think FLW mitigation is a good business strategy? 3) What has been the biggest surprise or adjustment for you in taking a zero or low FLW approach? The blog highlights some common themes tied to the business case for FLW raised by MSP’s partners: ?? Environmental and/or business factors are the biggest motivations for pursuing FLW mitigation. ?? FLW work makes good business sense in the long term. ?? Surprising business and impact opportunities can result from reducing FLW. ?????Be sure to check out the full blog for great insight and quotes from these entrepreneurs based on their experience working to mitigate food loss and waste and resultant greenhouse gas emissions. #foodloss #foodwaste #privatesector #FLWDay