Fostering Inclusive Growth through Markets
Leveraging Economic Opportunities (LEO) was a three-year USAID-funded contract to support programming that fosters inclusive growth through markets.
Focus
- a systems approach to markets, acknowledging the complex interrelationships among market actors, market and household systems, climate change, nutrition, the policy environment, and sociocultural factors, including poverty and gender
- inclusion, recognizing the role that a spectrum of actors—from resource-poor households and small-scale enterprises to larger and more formal firms—play in catalyzing market change and growth that benefits the poor
Download the Inclusive Market Systems Framework >> (PDF, 338 KB).
Services to USAID Mission and operating units
- Research: studies on market system-related topics that integrate the empowerment of women and youth, nutrition, climate change, and resilience
- Analytics: end-market analyses, value chain analyses, analyses of policy and private-sector investment
- Implementation support: technical assistance, training, financial services and innovative business models
- Practitioner network development: facilitating collaborative learning
- Local systems development: technical assistance to strengthen local systems
- M&E: assistance in measuring systemic change
LEO pursued an ambitious research agenda related to different aspects of inclusive market systems development.
See a full listing of LEO’s work.
Partnerships
- Center on Globalization, Governance and Competitiveness, Duke University—conducted research on global value chains and their effects on poverty
- EcoVentures International—expanded economic opportunities for disenfranchised, at-risk populations including the very poor, marginalized women, and youth
- Impact LLC—provided services in research, impact assessment and evaluation for projects related to economic growth for poverty reduction
- MarketShare Associates—brought expertise in monitoring systemic change, gender, and poverty-focused value chain development
- Overseas Development Institute—informed policy and practice through research into poverty, resilience, and sustainable livelihoods
- The SEEP Network—facilitated dialogue across organizations and regions, and promotes collaborative learning and the development of good practice
LEO at a glance:
- Oct. 2013–Sept. 2016
- $21 million ceiling
- Broad range of services
- Simple buy-in process
- Fixed MOBIS rates
Publications
- Feedback on Tool: “Intervention Guide for the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI)” (Stern, Jones, Hillesland, 2015)
- Webinar: Inclusive Market Development Framework: From Theory to Practice
- Blog: Coming to Grips with Real Life Market Systems (Campbell, 2014)
- Integrating Gender and Including Women in Value Chain Development (Faveri, Hess, Jones, 2014)
