Publication database

Based on an analysis of the CGAP’s data from national surveys of smallholder households and smallholder diaries, this paper outlines the profile and needs of smallholder families and their various subgroups. Firstly, the paper looks at the relationship between financial activities and the different livelihood strategies employed by smallholder families. Further, it highlights the characteristics and behaviors that are common to large groups of smallholders, discusses how the overall market can be segmented most effectively, and presents a nuanced picture of the different types of smallholder households. Finally, the paper discusses opportunities available for various stakeholders serving smallholder families.

This report presents a case study of how women and men in rural Tanzania are affected differently by the arrival of off-grid electricity in their homes, and the extent to which access contributes towards women’s empowerment. It aims to inform work by enterprises, as well as funders and policy makers so that women in Tanzania and beyond are meaningfully included in the sustainable energy transition. In order to do this, our study tests assumptions about the impact of household solar technologies on women’s lives so that companies can ensure their products and services are inclusive and avoid reinforcing gender inequality.

The report takes customer-led view of the impact of the off-grid energy sector, as well as the relative performance of the sub-sectors within it.

The Entrepreneurship Database Program collects information from entrepreneurs when they apply to accelerator programs. These entrepreneurs, both those selected and not selected, are then surveyed annually to gather valuable follow-up data. This report summarizes application data collected from ventures operating in Central America that applied to participating accelerator programs between 2013 and 2018.

This study provides an insight into social enterprise in Malaysia, including an estimate of the scale and scope of the sector. It assesses existing policies that are relevant to social enterprise and analyses how these have been implemented.This study is based on quantitative information obtained from a total of 132 survey respondents across Malaysia.

The objective of this study is to document and assess existing container-based sanitation (CBS) approaches, with a particular focus on evaluating their safety, reliability, affordability, and financial viability. The report also seeks to identify the circumstances in which CBS approaches are most appropriate. The study was motivated by growing interest in the emerging CBS experiences and by the fact that many governments, city authorities, and financing entities are often not familiar with the approach. The study builds on four case studies: Sanergy, Nairobi, Kenya; Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods [SOIL], Cap-Haitien, Haiti; Clean Team, Kumasi, Ghana; and x-runner, Lima, Peru.

GlobeScan and Business Call to Action (BCtA) partnered to launch the 2018 State of Inclusive Business Survey to help advance core business activities that are inclusive of low-income populations and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report provides practical insights for companies on inclusive business, and identifies drivers of inclusive business motives and likelihood to commit. Stakeholders who took part in this study are all from BCtA’s own database of members and contacts, as well as GlobeScan’s community of sustainability professionals.

Fintech in Africa is evolving quickly. Today, there are hundreds of fintech startups across the continent – but how has the sector changed in recent years? This report takes a look at the next generation of fintech in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This report from GOGLA brings positive news that households using small scale-solar power in East Africa are reporting a rise in economic activity, with improvement in income and job opportunities. It demonstrates the economic benefits of off-grid solar power in the developing world. Nearly 60% of off-grid solar owners undertake more economic activity within just three months of using a solar home system as they work longer, start businesses or get a new job.

Bringing essential services to the poor, whether in remote rural areas, provincial towns, or in the slums of megacities, is a great challenge for governments in developing countries. Endeva has supported the World Bank’s Innovation Unit to systematically assess innovative business models that provide products and services to the poor, thus better understanding how to raise awareness of problems and solutions, designing products that address their needs, and making these products available and affordable.