Blog

Understanding and influencing norms and behavior change emerge as critical components for fostering lasting impact. Day 3 discussions among practitioners at the 6th annual Market Systems Symposium shed light on diverse perspectives and strategies employed across different sectors within the development landscape to influence behavior change.

This blogpost is one in a series of blogs sharing insights gained from the Market Systems Symposium 2023. The MSS blogpost provides a brief snapshot of key insights shared across a number of different sessions in MSS 2023 held in Cape Town between 13-15 November 2023. Market Systems Development (MSD) is more than a technical approach—it demands operational adaptation to effectively drive transformative change. On Day 2 of the Market Systems Symposium 2023 discussions among industry experts, valuable insights were shared on practical steps organizations can take within the operational and grants arena to align with the principles of MSD.

As a systemic lens is being more widely accepted across development programming, organizations and programs have witnessed a notable shift towards embracing a more intentional Market Systems Development (MSD) approach. This transformation has been spearheaded by thought leaders and change agents who recognize the imperative of adopting a systemic lens. In this blog, we explore insights shared by some prominent practitioners in the field—on Day 2 of the Market Systems Symposium 2023—offering an overview of how their respective organizations have navigated this evolution.

In the dynamic landscape of international development, the intersection of market systems development (MSD) and conflict presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Several conversations on Day 1 at the Market Systems Symposium 2023 centered around MSD and conflict, drawing on experiences from Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.

In the vast expanse of global development, where complexity too often reigns alongside chaos, a symphony of collaboration is playing out, weaving together diverse contexts and perspectives. The 6th annual Market Systems Symposium 2023 is bringing esteemed practitioners of Market Systems Development (MSD) to share insights and experiences, shedding light on the intersections of MSD with the three key themes this year: food security, conflict, and climate change. Kristin O'Planick, Market Systems Team Lead at USAID, and Elisabet Montgomery, Senior Policy Specialist Market Development at SIDA—both key figures in the donor working group on MSD—offered opening remarks and a glimpse into the evolving space of market systems development.

During the height of the COVID lockdown, beef farmers in South Africa working with the GENEX Cooperative Development Program (CDP) were faced with the complete shutdown of cattle auction sites due to COVID travel restrictions Which meant farmers were not able to sell their product on time. They were losing revenue and they were incurring extra expenses to feed cattle they earmarked for sale. At that moment, CDP mentors saw an opportunity.

By Benjamin Butcher, INVEST Activity Associate

By Emily Langhorne, INVEST Communications Specialist  

On the outskirts of Johannesburg, in the eastern part of Soweto Township, lies South Africa’s most famous street. Vilakazi Street, once home to former South African President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, is the only street in the world to have housed two Nobel Prize winners.

Learn how USAID’s Development Innovation Ventures grantees are adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The development-focused investment model that is evolving in South Africa reflects a new model that combines both community cooperative and business partner by means of joint ventures. Read on to learn how this model takes a business approach to development that attracts private investment.

Jason Wolfe, Senior Technical Advisor for the PEPFAR program, interviews Andrew Meaux and Barri Shorey from the IRC.

At the SEEP 2014 conference, a panel on the ‘Big Data’ Revolution discussed ways to use new sources of information to adapt service delivery and improve approaches to inclusive market development.

The SME Survey 2014, an annual study of factors behind the success of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa, has found that a small business owned by a woman has a better chance of being profitable than one run by a man.

Overview of microfinance in India, Russia, South Africa and Latin America