Download - Rural Economy Strategy 2013-2017
Rural Economy Working Area Strategy 2013-2017
What have we done so far?
• People-centred approach to achieve livelihood
improvements for rural households
• Project interventions:
• Sustainable management of natural resources
• Value chain facilitation
• Organic production, fair trade
• Access to financial and non-financial services
• Advisory services: mainly for our projects, but
also for external clients
Smallholder Producers
Cooperatives or Companies
Processors, Traders
Final consumers
Retailers, Brands
Internal Control Systems
Production System Design
Business environment
Services (financial, certification, advice etc.)
Access to services
Business management know-how and tools
Policy advice and advocacy
Market linkages
Communication &awareness building
Knowledgemanagement
Input providers
Our main focus and interventions so far
What have we learned?
1. Multifunctional production systems are needed that cater to the requirements at household level, national markets and/or export markets.
2. A rights based approach to productive assets (land reforms, governance) and employment opportunities needs to be applied.
3. We need to strive towards accountability and economic as well as institutional sustainability of producer organisations.
4. Pluralistic rural advisory services are needed that are based on a variety of service providers (public/ private) and their respective business models.
Orientations for the future
• Facilitation focus: Inform, motivate, and link value
chain actors, without taking over core functions; only
start projects with a clear and viable exit strategy.
• From Innovation to up-scaling: Develop scaling-up
strategies and strategic alliances for mainstreaming.
• Policy dialogue and sector development: Influence
sector policies and encourage collaboration among
stakeholders.
• Social inclusiveness: Systematically approach gender
relations and skills building for young people.
Our intervention logic
Advice, training, facilitation, knowledge sharing, partnerships
Transformation of production
systems
Land rights and improved water management
Quality of financial and non financial
services
Enabling environment for market
actors
Sustainable and resilient production
systems
Access to resources (land and
water)
Access to markets (goods, services, labour)
Increased food security
Increased income and
wealth
Reduced ecological and environmental risk / vulnerability
Impact
Outcome
Output
Intervention
Our target groupsL
and
res
ou
rces
Large farmers
Eco
no
mic
res
ou
rces
Small-holders
Landless / land-poor
Businesses SMEs
Inte
rven
tio
ns
Primary target groups of Rural Economy
Improve production and resource management
Improve business opportunities
Value chain facilitationand market access
Improve skills and employment opportunities
Economic drivers
Economic drivers
Our working fields
Value chainsMarket
Systems
Sustainable
Agriculture
Food security
Natural resources Business development
Rural advisory + financial services
Markets for the Poor
Livelihood approach
Our working approaches
The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework
The M4P Approach
The seven elements of our strategy
1. Sustainable farming systems
2. Food security, food sovereignty and market oriented agriculture
3. Organized smallholders
4. Opportunities in market systems
5. Value chain facilitation and value chain governance
6. Rural advisory services
7. Access to financial services
Transversal themes in Rural Economy
1. Gender and social equity: in depth analysis of different social groups
2. Advocacy: for more equitable rural development and conducive environments
3. Knowledge and learning: Stimulation of innovation, knowledge sharing and learning
4. Capacity development: constantly improving our own and our partners’ competencies in rural economy.
Interfaces with other working areas
• Water for Food
• Adaptation• Disaster risk
reduction• Agro-forestry• Access to
land
• MitigationSkills Development & Education
Environment & Climate Change
Water and Infrastructure
Governance and Peace
• Green jobs• Vocational skills
• Rural roads, trail bridges
• Policy framework• Migration• Land rights
• Employment
• Value chain governance
Our partners (1)Core Implementation partnersFair & Sustainable Advisory Services (of ICCO) Regional partner organisations (IC offsprings)
FiBL – Research Institute for Organic Agriculture Swisscontact, HEKS
HAFL – School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences
Agridea, Springfield Center
Core alliances and networks
FANRPAN – Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Analysis Network
IFOAM International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
GFRAS – Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services ILC -International Land Coalition
SFRAS – Swiss Forum for Rural Advisory Services ISEAL Alliance (Sustainability Standards)
SFIAR - Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research M4P Hub
Textile Exchange DCED - Donor Committee of Enterprise Development
FLO (including Max Havelaar Switzerland) Social Performance Task Force
ICAC - International Cotton Advisory Council responsAbility Social Investment AG
CGAP - Consultative Group to Assist the Poor
Our partners (2)
Donors and associates
SDC – Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
ICCO – Dutch Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation
SECO – Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs Coop Fund for Sustainability
AFD – French Development Agency Rabobank Foundation
DFID – Britisch Development Agency SIPPO – Swiss Import Promotion Programme
SIDA – Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
ITC (International Trade Centre, particularly Trade for Sustainable Development, T4SD)
Hivos (NL) IDH – Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative
Competence development
1. Diversification of production systems
2. Business planning and management skills
3. The Market Systems Develop- ment approach
4. Livestock management
5. Non farm value chains
6. Financial services
7. DCED standard for results measurement
8. Gender, in particular women economic empowerment, and social equity
The role of the Rural Economy team• Support project planning and provide technical
advice during implementation.• Provide field staff with approaches and tools,
capacity building.• Identify and document best practice cases and
lessons learned.• Facilitate knowledge sharing and joint development of
approaches and tools.• Develop joint initiatives with other working areas,
initiate joint learning events with other teams on specific issues.
• Support design and implementation of effective results measurement systems and impact assessment in the field of rural economy.