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Sustainable Economic Development

Articles overview

  • 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.

  • 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 […]

  • 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 […]

  • 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 […]

  • 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 […]

  • How to accelerate South Sudan’s transition from 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.

  • 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 […]

  • 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 […]

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

    • Institute
    • Publication

    This report presents the high-level findings of the mid-term review (MTR) of the IDH corporate portfolio in its 2021-2025 funding period, performed by KIT Institute and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS).

  • Mid-term Evaluation of The Coffee Farmer Income Resilience Program (CFIRP)

    • Institute
    • Project

    The Coffee Farmer Income Resilience Program (CFIRP), launched in Kenya and Uganda by the IKEA Foundation and IDH, aims to address the daily challenges faced by coffee farmers and improve their livelihoods. The programme focuses on increasing income resilience by integrating sustainable farming practices, known as regenerative agriculture, with support services tailored to farmers’ needs. […]

  • Is seed aid distribution still justified in South Sudan?

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Seed aid—or free distribution of seeds to farmers—is a popular intervention to simultaneously reduce food insecurity and dependency on food aid in fragile countries. However, seed aid distribution also has the potential to hinder or distort the development of local seed markets. This study analyses the targeting and impact of seed aid across the green […]

  • KIT Knowledge Management Focal Points for the Land-at-Scale Programme

    • Institute
    • Project

    KIT is the Knowledge Management Focal Point for the partners in the 12 countries included in Land-at-Scale. As the Focal Point we also work to promote exchange between the partners across countries and regions, enhancing the learning within the programme at large.