Agriculture is vital to the continued diversification of Nigeria’s economy and to rural prosperity and food security for all Nigerians. The country’s agricultural market system is exceedingly complex. Building the sector requires a systems approach that encompasses entire targeted value chains. All links are important. Without a link to a profitable source of market demand,…
In this blog series highlighting youth economic opportunity, Florin Cazac and Andrei Copaci reflect on how robotics is shaping their personal and professional growth. Can you tell us about your background with youth development and your career goals? Florin Cazac: My name is Florin Cazac and I currently work as a robotics mentor at the…
Due to its sheer size and potential, sustainable tourism — travel that attempts to benefit a destination’s economy, environment, and society — has become an essential element of nearly any economic development strategy in emerging economies around the world. You’ve probably seen the stats: Worldwide, travel and tourism contribute 10.2 percent of GDP, are third…
In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in an effort to mobilize resources to transform the world, eliminate poverty, safeguard the planet, and guarantee universal prosperity by 2030. Of the 17 goals, Goal 7 of the SDGs set targets to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern…
In Uganda’s agricultural market system, the maize sub-sector is vital to national, community, and household food security. Uganda is the third-largest exporter of maize in Africa and second in maize flour, with exports dominating formal and informal export markets in East Africa, especially Kenya and South Sudan. A major issue for value chain actors, from…
This blog post was originally published by Making Cents International as part of their Future of Work blog series ahead of the Youth Economic Opportunities Summit. Youth unemployment is a huge issue in the developing world. According to the International Labour Organization, 71 million youth were estimated to be unemployed in 2016 and 37 percent of working…
In conflict- and famine-affected states, interventions can undermine innate community resiliencies that could offer some protective effect for families and individuals. It is well-understood that violent conflict is a major cause, or the primary cause, of each of the globe’s four most pressing food security crises — in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen —…
In May, I had the chance to return to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Having previously worked on an ex-combatant reintegration project in the DRC from 2004 to 2006, I was eager to see the progress the country had made in recovering from its protracted civil war. I went to the DRC with…
If you’ve ever seen a field covered in garbage in a developing country, you have some idea of the waste management challenges faced by various urban economies in sub-Saharan Africa. An explosion in urban migration and unplanned settlement, as well as a lack of urban planning to accommodate basic utility support infrastructure and services, has…
An estimated 2.6 billion people gained access to improved drinking water between 1990 and 2015, yet municipalities around the world still struggle to deliver safe and consistent water because of inefficiencies and cost recovery concerns. The World Bank estimates that only 15 percent of utilities in developing countries generate enough revenue to cover operating and maintenance (O&M)…
At the USAID Annual Small Business Conference, Jackie Robinson-Burnette, the deputy associate administrator of government contracting and business development at the Small Business Administration, stated, “Successful leadership is an inclusive leadership. In other words, getting the right people on the bus.” Jackie was emphasizing that you have to include the right people to your team,…
In this blog series highlighting youth economic opportunity, Maram Khalil and Al’a Ghazi Hussain Essa reflect on their experience with Jordan BEST’s Pathways to Professionalism Program. Can you tell us about your career goals and experience as a young professional in Jordan? Maram Khalil: I am establishing my career in the hospitality industry and hope to…