Empowering development through market systems development training in Kenya

ILO News (Nairobi, Kenya) The International Labour Organization (ILO) has been actively promoting initiatives to improve economic inclusion and social protection for refugees and host communities. One such initiative is the Promoting Pathways to Economic Inclusion and Social Protection for Refugees and Host Communities (Pathways) project, which focuses on creating sustainable solutions for integrating refugees into the local economy. In Kenya, the ILO recently facilitated a comprehensive training workshop on Market Systems Development (MSD), which was attended by project teams working on both Pathways and the Public-Private Development Partnership (PPDP) for Inclusive Decent Employment and Productive Livelihoods.

The training workshop, led by ILO technical specialists, emphasized the importance of Market Systems Development (MSD) as a critical approach to enhancing the sustainability and systemic impact of development projects. MSD focuses on transforming market systems to be more inclusive and resilient, benefiting both the vulnerable populations (such as refugees) and host communities. The key objective is to build an environment where businesses, government agencies, and local actors collaborate to ensure long-term economic opportunities, decent work, and enhanced livelihoods.

MSD offers a strategic lens for project implementation by considering the interplay of all key actors and dependencies in a system. This approach aims to achieve long-lasting and inclusive change by addressing root causes rather than symptoms, fostering self-reliant societal progress within communities.

During the training, participants explored the core principles of MSD, its application in development projects, and its immense benefits for creating impact sustainably and the most value for money for projects. Discussions emphasized how integrating MSD thinking into project design and execution could lead to more resilient and effective outcomes. The training also delved into the process of identifying and involving the relevant market actors and stakeholders to co-create market-based solutions to achieve economic inclusion for target communities.

Beyond theoretical insights, the workshop provided an opportunity for the teams to reimagine their project activities with sustainability as a focal point. Interactive sessions examined real-world case studies of MSD, enabling participants to identify best practices and potential areas for improvement in their ongoing and future initiatives. The sessions were enriched by dynamic group discussions, where participants shared experiences and exchanged ideas to deepen their understanding and refine their approaches.

The training underscored the ILO's commitment to leveraging innovative approaches to achieve systemic and sustainable development through developing viable partnerships with public and private market actors. With a renewed focus on MSD, the PPDP and Pathways teams are better equipped to design interventions that empower communities, strengthen local markets, and drive meaningful, long-term change and sustainable approaches.