Africa

Financial cooperatives and microfinance institutions (MFIs) are the two major sources of rural finance in Ethiopia. Whereas MFIs are relatively new, financial cooperatives have existed for centuries in various forms. The coexistence of two different institutions serving the same group of people, and delivering the same financial services, raises several policy questions. Those questions have become particularly relevant, as the government has embarked on developing a new strategy for improving rural financial services delivery. This study serves as an input to that policy discussion. »

This paper identifies several positive synergies between social protection programs and enhanced food security and entitlements to food. The author argues that entitlements to food can be strengthened, if social justice principles are introduced to the design and delivery of social protection programs. Examples reviewed include rights-based approaches such as employment guarantee schemes, community-based targeting and demand-driven accountability mechanisms. »

This exploratory study by CDI on Rwanda’s seed sector has been commissioned by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kigali. The objectives of the study have been to: analyse the institutional landscape of Rwanda’s seed sector in terms of its capacities, governance and coordination; and advice on policy issues, and potential activities »

This publication (PDF) by KIT, ICRA and the Centre for Development Innovation (CDI), argues that Dutch-funded capacity development projects in developing countries for tertiary agricultural education organisations as they are currently carried out are not able to successfully achieve the sustained changes required. The authors suggest that long-term institutional change is needed. The report specifically »

In 2013, an international packaging company and a local retailer enterprise set up a project in Sri Lanka called “develoPPP initiative” (development partnerships with the private sector). The project aims at an increased quality and quantity of milk production and medium-term coverage of the regional demand, with a special focus on involving women and creating »

This report (PDF) from The Overseas Development Institute (ODI), describes a case study where degraded land in Burkina Faso was brought into productive use through the application of improved traditional farming techniques. Three main factors have contributed to achieving this progress: 1. farmers had valuable local knowledge of suitable and efficient traditional farming methods; 2. »