DCED Global Seminar 2024: Systemic approaches for sustainable growth
Nairobi, 1 – 3 October 2024, co-sponsored By Gatsby Africa and ILO
The DCED, together with the BEAM Exchange – its knowledge platform on market systems development (MSD), has a track record in running Global Seminars to learn about effective practice in private-sector development (PSD), including in Nairobi (2018), Lusaka (2016) and Bangkok (2014, 2012 and earlier).
The DCED Global Seminar 2024 continued this tradition, with a new format and fresh ambition. The overall theme of the Seminar was the use of ‘Systemic approaches for growth, employment and resilience’. Bringing together 180 participants from 45 countries, it was the first Seminar explicitly designed as an exchange between donors and implementers – with 40% of participants coming from donor agencies. In response to DCED member interests and trends in PSD, sessions were organised around six thematic streams (see below), making it the most ambitious DCED Seminar to date.
Many of these streams also included content on two important cross-cutting themes: the challenges of measuring results (MEL) and promoting gender equality, diversity and inclusion.
In addition, every day featured in-depth discussions between small groups of participants on technical topics of their choice in dedicated Micro Clinics. Participants also had the opportunity to join various independent side events and training workshops on 30 September and 4 October.
A detailed agenda, presentations and related materials can be accessed via the Seminar’s digital conference platform on Swapcard.
A synthesis report with key insights from the Seminar discussions is available here.
- Language matters! Talking meaningfully about systemic approaches
- with Kristin O’Planick (USAID), Rory Tews, James Gichuhi (Gatsby Africa), Kristina Mastroianni (NIRAS), Dhita Lasarati (ILO), John Rachkara (Mercy Corps), Mike Albu (DCED Secretariat)
- Assessing system change: what counts?
- with Rens Twijnstra (NL MOFA), Aly Miehlbradt, (Miehlbradt Consultants Ltd.), Ben Fowler (Marketshare Associates)
- Learning from experience: principles of good PSD practice
- with Peter Roggekamp (Gatsby Africa)
- Are we ambitious enough? Being transformative rather than incremental
- with James Foster (Gatsby Africa), Christoph Zipfel (GIZ), Ben Foster (Marketshare Associates), Chema Triki (Growth Teams)
- Systemic approaches for trade-related outcomes
- with Donna Loveridge, Dun Grover (ACDI/VOCA), Helen Bradbury (Mercy Corps), Paulo Rodriguez (Helvetas), Carmen Jaquez (Mercy Corps)
- Better prioritising support for high potential sectors / industries
- with Peggy Mativo (Gatsby Africa)
- Charting the landscape: systemic approaches to employment
- with Merten Sievers (ILO), Justin van Rhyn, Gun Eriksson Skoog (Sida)
- Reaching scale in job creation: convenient theory and inconvenient practice
- with Justin van Rhyn, Muaz Jalil, Mike Klassen (DCED Secretariat)
- Setting targets and ambitions for realistic employment programme design
- with Matt Ripley (Impact Frontiers), Vasundhra Thakur (54 Collective), Mahlet Seifu Woldeabraham (Mercy Corps), Nicola Fackel (Sida)
- Green jobs and the just transition: applying a systems lens
- with Steve Hartrich (ILO), Jack Steege (Gatsby Africa), Mahlet Seifu Woldeabraham (Mercy Corps), Freddy Koch (Swisscontact)
- Innovative pathways for systemic SME financing
- with Freddy Bob-Jones (Aceli Africa), Audrey Desiderato (Mirova SunFunder), Drew von Glahn (Collaborative for Frontier Finance), Rory Tews, Krisztina Tora (GSG Impact)
- Unlocking synergies between PSD and development finance
- with Alex Kucharski (BII), Hannes Bahrenburg (British Investment Partnership), Anouk Verheijen (FMO)
- Financial inclusion of small and women-led enterprises
- with Andia Chakava (2X Global), Naomi Ndele (Kenya Commercial Bank), Virginia Wairimu (Balloon Ventures)
- Let’s talk business: how to mobilise commercial finance to scale impact
- with Giorgi Lekiashvili (Swisscontact), Steve Morris (NIRAS), Adiya Ode (Palladium Group), Debora Randall (Swisscontact)
- Navigating green private sector development: donor priorities, implementer realities
- with Melina Heinrich-Fernandes (DCED Secretariat)
- Greening the MSD approach in agriculture
- with Clara García Parra (The Canopy Lab), Amanda Jerneck (ILO), John Rachkara (Mercy Corps), Luana Ayala (ILO), Frédérique Weyer (SDC), Thabani Moyo (NIRAS)
- Green jobs and the just transition: applying a systems lens
- with Steve Hartrich (ILO), Jack Steege (Gatsby Africa), Mahlet Seifu Woldeabraham (Mercy Corps), Freddy Koch (Swisscontact)
- Measuring green: what does this mean?
- with Adam Kessler (DevLearn), Helen Bradbury (Mercy Corps), Aly Miehlbradt (Miehlbradt Consulting Ltd.), Phitcha Wanitphon, Muamer Nikšić (Helvetas), Harrison Wambua (NIRAS)
- Old problems, new tricks: designing PSD programmes in fragile contexts
- with Karri Goeldner Byrne, Gun Eriksson Skoog (Sida), Stephan Jean Pierre (CRS), Emmanuel Otim (Mercy Corps)
- Achieving meaningful impact in fragile contexts
- with Sasha Muench (Markets in Crises Community), Nadja Nutz (ILO), John Rachkara (Mercy Corps), Paul Joicey (DAI)
- Building bridges: the importance of donor-implementer relationships for systemic approaches to PSD
- with Kristin O’Planick (USAID), Elisabet Montgomery (Sida), Helen Bradbury (Mercy Corps), Anirban Bhowmik (Swisscontact)
- Interpreting the rules: making space for adaptive management
- with Ryan Bourque (DAI), Mark Sevier (ACDI/VOCA), Gwendolyn Tweed (DAI)
- Donor policies that affect systemic practice
- with Marleen van Ruijven (Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Bram Elmer van Opijnen (Netherlands Embassy in Ghana), Keith Dokho (USAID), Andrew McCown (USAID)
- Investing in emerging leaders on MSD/PSD programmes
- with Holly Krueger (The Canopy lab), Ailsa Buckley (Swisscontact), Alison Hemberger (Mercy Corps), Hayden Aaronson (ACDI/VOCA)
Side events
Monday 30 September 2024:
- One-Day Workshop on Results Measurement Best Practices according to the DCED Standard, by Miehlbradt Consulting Limited (MCL). This workshop discussed the fundamentals of good results measurement and why an effective results measurement system is crucial for managing systemic programmes, as well as practical applications of the key elements of the DCED Standard.
- One-Day Workshop on How to be Good Funder of a Market System Development Programme (only for DCED member agencies) by Agora Global, in collaboration with Sida and the DCED. This covered the basic concepts; designing programmes, selecting implementers, managing and measuring results.
Wednesday 2 October 2024:
- Building Bridges: Donor and DFI Collaboration Event by British International Investment (BII) and FMO, 19:00 – 21:00. This event brought bring together senior leaders from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), donor agencies, and key stakeholders to showcase successful strategies for fostering effective DFI-donor collaboration. This included lessons from an upcoming research report and from live initiatives such as ARIA and Invest for Impact Nepal.
Friday 4 October 2024:
- One-Day Workshop on Assessing System Changes, by Miehlbradt Consulting Limited (MCL). This dynamic workshop was inspired by ‘A Pragmatic Approach to Assessing System Change’. It covered the practical methodologies for assessing system changes as well as actionable insights and tools for effective implementation.
- Half-day Workshop on Market System Development in Forced Displacement Settings: Can the Private Sector Create Sustainable Economic Opportunities for Refugee and Host Communities?, co-hosted by DAI and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The discussion drew on practical experiences in implementing the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) – funded Strengthening Host and Refugee Populations in Ethiopia (SHARPE) programme and ILO experience of private sector and market systems development across multiple refugee hosting countries in Asia and Africa.
- Gatsby Africa Open House (8am – 1pm) by Gatsby Africa at their Nairobi offices. The sessions will provide an opportunity for Seminar delegates to interact with Gatsby Africa’s work with insights from staff working on Aquaculture, Livestock, Water, Forestry and Textiles & Apparel programmes.
- Innovative Solutions Workshop: Unlocking Capital for African SMEs and Growth Businesses, with the Collaborative for Frontier Finance. With the appropriate support of donor agencies, development finance institutions, African pension funds, government agencies and foundations, small business growth funds are positioned to channel $4.5 billion in new impact capital for African/MENA’s SMEs. This one-day workshop and networking opportunity explored innovative financing models that are being used to bolster such local fund managers.