The market systems development approach can sound a little complicated or abstract at first.
The quickest and easiest way to understand and appreciate the why and the how of MSD is to study a few examples of the approach in practice.
The Story of MSD is great starting point for newcomers. An inspirational compilation of twelve short narrative case-studies from around the globe that illustrate the MSD approach and its results.
This document is also available in Arabic, Spanish and French.
Three of these cases, from Bangladesh, Georgia and Pakistan, are also available to share as short 10-minute presentations.
Seeds of change: an intervention example from Bangladesh
Katalyst overcame last-mile distribution hurdles for vegetable seeds, enabling at least 500,000 smallholder farmers (many women) to step up vegetable production.
The initiative involved innovations in seed packaging and access to critical information via mobile seed vendors; driven by engagement with seed supplier companies. These changes were taken up at such a large scale that access to quality seeds, and good advice about how to use them, become the ‘new normal’ for Bangladeshi smallholder farmers.
You can download the slide deck and speaker notes here.
Health herds: an intervention example from Georgia
Alliances Caucasus Programme (ALCP) transformed veterinary services in remote areas of post-Soviet Georgia, and enabled more than 400,000 smallholder farmers to step up livestock production between 2011 and 2017. The programme illustrates the relevance of MSD in markets undergoing economic transition.
The initiative involved investments and innovations in distribution of livestock health inputs, services and access to critical information from mini-pharmacies, driven by engagement with a leading veterinary input manufacturer and importer. These changes were taken up at such a large scale that access to quality veterinary inputs and good advice about how to use them has become the ‘new normal’ for livestock farmers in Georgia and increasingly across other parts of the southern Caucasus region (Armenia, Azerbaijan) and Turkmenistan.Section under construction
You can download the slide deck and speaker notes here.
Fodder for the future: an intervention example from Pakistan
Market Development Facility (MDF) kick-started a revolution in production and usage of silage (year-round animal fodder) to help make small-scale livestock farming more productive and lucrative.
MDF's work involved innovations and investment in appropriately-scaled silage technology and related services, driven by engagement with machinery suppliers, a bank and silage entrepreneurs. MDF co-invested with small-scale entrepreneurs to test the technology and viability of the silage business. It engineered a novel agreement between the bank, equipment suppliers and entrepreneurs to stimulate investment. And it worked with equipment suppliers to develop the rental of silage-related machinery.
You can download the slide deck and speaker notes here.