Lessons on Promoting Systemic Change in Shallow Markets

This paper explores how systemic change happens in shallow markets and the implications for market systems development practitioners. It is based on the experience and lessons learned by the Australian-funded Market Development Facility (MDF). MDF, now in its second phase, is a multi-country, market systems development program. It started in Fiji in 2011, Timor-Leste in 2012, Pakistan in 2013 and Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka in 2015.  The paper uses examples from three of the five countries, Fiji, Timor-Leste and Pakistan, where MDF has been operating for more than four years. It is intended to encourage discussion and innovation in the MSD community on how to better promote systemic change in shallow markets.