Seas of Change Initiative

Initiatives on Scaling

Next Billion

Next Billion is a networking space and blog interested in the “next billion” and bringing together the community of business leaders, social entrepreneurs, NGOs, policy makers and academics who want to explore the connection between development and enterprise. Highlighting business strategies that open opportunities and improve the lives of the world’s approximately 4 billion low-income producers and consumers.
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M4P Hub

M4P Hub is a knowledge and exchange forum for all those interested in making markets work better for the poor. It uses four underlying principles; Systematic action, Sustainable change, Large-scale impact and Facilitative role. The approach builds the necessary incentives for key players to strengthen market functions in order to meet the long-term needs of the poor.

1) 2010. Addressing gender: Thematic report. Katalyst.
2) Vermeulen, S., L. Cotula. 2010. Making the most of agricultural investment: a survey of business models that provide opportunities for smallholders. IIED/FAO/IFAD/SDC. London/Rome/Bern. 3) IFAD. 2010. Pro-poor rural value chain development. Thematic study. Policy and Technical Advisory Division Programme Management Department.

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Sustainable Food Lab

The Sustainable Food Lab is a consortium of business, non-profit and public organizations working together to accelerate the shift toward sustainability and facilitating market-based solutions to the key issues, such as poverty.

1) Sustainable Food Lab. 2008. Innovation for Healthy Value Chains: Cases, Tools & Methods.
2) Sustainable Food Laboratory. 2010. Public Interest in private label. How new relationships between NGOs and retailers can help build trade to benefit the developing world’s small scale farmers.
3) 2010. Think big. Go small. Adapting business models to incorporate smallholders into supply chains. Briefings for business. No.6. Oxfam International, Sustainable Food Laboratory.

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Department for International Development (DFID)

In collaboration with Business Innovation Facility (BIF)

DFID was set up with the aim to fight world poverty. DFID set out to make global development a national priority and promote it to audiences in the UK and overseas, while fostering a new ‘aid relationship’ with governments of developing countries. In addition BIF, helps the development and uptake of inclusive business models by companies in developing countries. The inclusiveness entails profitable core business activities that have high development impacts; creating jobs, integrating local farmers and entrepreneurs in international supply chains and providing quality and affordable services to low income consumers.

1) Kingombe, C., Massa, I., and te Velde, D.W. 2011. Comparing Development Finance Institutions Literature Review. London: Overseas Development Institute.
2) DFID. 2011. The engine of development: The private sector and prosperity for poor people. London: Department for International Development.

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Trade out of poverty

Trade Out of Poverty is an independent charity dedicated to helping end poverty by raising awareness of the importance of trade as a route out of poverty, and researching ways of enabling poor countries to develop through trade.

1) Jenkins, B., E. Ishikawa, A. Geaneotes, P. Baptista, T. Masuoka. 2011. Accelerating Inclusive Business Opportunities: Business Models that Make a Difference. Washington, DC:IFC.
2) Vermeulen, S., L. Cotula. 2010. Making the most of agricultural investment: a survey of business models that provide opportunities for smallholders. IIED/FAO/IFAD/SDC. London/Rome/Bern.

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B4D through Sida

Sida’s B4D programme contains proposals for new forms of dialogue and collaboration with industry. The purpose is to mobilise resources and encourage companies to develop their core activities so that they can contribute even more to better conditions for poor people.

1) 2011. Business for Development: Programme for Sida’s cooperation with the business sector 2010-2012: Sida.
2) 2011. Market Development: in Swedish Development Cooperation. Sweden: Sida.

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