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Sustainable Economic Development

Articles overview

  • What is the development impact of vertical coordination in agricultural value chains in LMICs?

    • Institute
    • Publication

    This literature review examines how vertical coordination—tighter corporate control across agricultural value chains—affects development outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.  Having reviewed 19 academic studies on evidence-based outcomes of vertical coordination, the focus of the analysis is on three main impact areas: (1) local economic development, (2) local job creation, and (3) the inclusion of […]

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  • EmpowHER

    • Institute
    • Project

    Through tailored training and support, this programme aims to equip VSLAs to meet the criteria for formal financial institution approval, enabling farming households to access essential savings and loan services that could drive income growth and economic resilience.

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  • Business-to-Business (B2B) Organisational and Marketing Innovations in Nigerian Horticulture

    • Institute
    • Publication

    The HortiNigeria programme, implemented by IFDC in partnership with Wageningen Research, East-West Seed International and KIT Institute, is strengthening Nigeria’s horticulture sector across the entire value chain—from production to marketing. This new learning brief explores how local actors drive innovation within Business-to-Business (B2B) linkages in Kano, Kaduna, Ogun, and Oyo states. Using Actor-Network Theory, it […]

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  • Understanding the Income-Child Labour Nexus in Agricultural Commodity Sectors

    • Institute
    • Project

    Child labour remains widespread in agricultural commodities. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where much of the world’s cocoa, coffee and cashew is produced, the number of children in child labour rose from 70 million in 2016 to 87 million in 2024. At the same time, cocoa, coffee and cashew farming families from West and East Africa earn […]

    Read more : Understanding the Income-Child Labour Nexus in Agricultural Commodity Sectors

  • Addressing child labour risks and living income gaps in global value chains

    • Institute
    • Publication

    This policy brief provides practical guidance for companies in the cocoa, coffee and cashew sectors, and beyond, on how to reduce child labour and close living income gaps in their supply chains.

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  • Addressing the income – child labour – gender nexus

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Child labour is a persistent global problem which adversely affects children’s physical and mental well-being. The problem is especially prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa: recent estimates from the International Labour Organisation (ILO, 2024a) reveal an increase in child labourers from 70 million in 2016 to 87 million in 2024. Many of these children work on smallholder […]

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  • A Comparative Review of Living Wage and Living Income Benchmarking Approaches

    • Institute
    • Publication

    This paper offers a systematic review of leading living wage (LW) and living income (LI) benchmarking methodologies to help users select the most appropriate approach for their specific context and purpose. Drawing on criteria developed by the Living Income Community of Practice—such as data quality, local adaptability, and stakeholder ownership—the review highlights the strengths and […]

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  • Living Income Benchmark for the Eastern Province and Living Income Reference Price for the cocoa sector in Sierra Leone (2024)

    • Institute
    • Publication

    This study, commissioned by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as part of its effort to support the cocoa sector in Sierra Leone, compute two important  indicators: the Living Income Benchmark (LIB) for the cocoa-growing areas located in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone and the Living Income Reference Price (LIRP) for the cocoa sector.  To bridge […]

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  • Understanding Smallholder Inclusion Efforts of the Private Sector

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Large (buying) companies in global value chains are increasingly seeking to integrate smallholder farmers into their supply chains. Accordingly, they have developed programs to promote smallholder inclusion through productivity growth, market access, quality improvement, and other initiatives. The complexity of these initiatives highlights the need for a deeper understanding of smallholder inclusion models, applying both […]

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  • How to accelerate South Sudan’s transitionfrom seed aid to seed market?

    • Institute
    • Publication

    This policy brief outlines practical recommendations aimed at accelerating the transition of South Sudan’s seed sector from reliance on seed aid, or free seeds distributed by humanitarian agencies, towards the development of a viable, inclusive and sustainable seed market.

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  • KIT Cocoa Living Income Questionnaire

    • Institute
    • Project

    KIT Institute has for long been at the forefront of living income research in the cocoa sector. Our experts have actively contributed to the Living Income Community of Practice (LICOP) and the Alliance on Living Income in Cocoa (ALICO), developing several tools and guidance documents for measuring the incomes of smallholder cocoa producers and evaluating […]

    Read more : KIT Cocoa Living Income Questionnaire

  • Navigating systemic market transformation: Mid-term Review of IDH 2021 – 2025

    • Institute
    • Project

    IDH has contracted KIT Institute and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) to conduct a mid-term and end-term evaluation of IDH’s full corporate portfolio of programs. IDH is an international organisation that brings together public and private stakeholders with the aim  to make global agricultural markets more sustainable and more inclusive.  In December 2024 KIT completed […]

    Read more : Navigating systemic market transformation: Mid-term Review of IDH 2021 – 2025