Publication database

Since 2013, the G4AW programme has been supporting 25 partnerships in 15 countries in Africa and South-East Asia that have taken up the challenge to develop digital solutions, using satellite and geodata to improve food and income security at smallholder food producer level. The major lessons learned from the programme (about 8 years) are summarized in this new lessons learned publication. It focuses on the business-related decisions and the steps taken to move towards a sustainable business model and scale to other services and regions.

This report – supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – relies on case studies drawn from the health sector to provide a better understanding of female sales forces. When are women direct sales forces be best-placed to reach low-income (women) consumers and why? How much income can women sales agents truly hope to make from these models?  What practical requirements and best practices can help make these models successful?

The lack of affordable and appealing nutritious foods limits the ability of many lower-income consumers to sustain a healthy diet. As the largest player in the food system, food and beverage companies in low- and middle-income countries have the potential to vastly improve nutrition. What role can innovative business models and distribution channels play in providing affordable nutritious foods? And what marketing innovations can help ensure that low-income clients consume the products at the required frequency for health impact? Over the past 5 years, as part of a program supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Growth for Growth coalition has been working to develop innovative business models to fight malnutrition. They are now proud to share key learnings that can be applied throughout consumer goods industries.

Between November 2018 and November 2019, Gates Foundation and Mars Edge discussed collaboration opportunities to accelerate the urban go-to-market strategy of Mars Edge’s nutritious savory snack GoMo™, specifically designed to help address nutritional deficiencies of 6-18 year olds in India, with a focus on reaching low-income consumers. The Growth for Growth (G4G) network of service providers set up by the Foundation’s PSP program co-designed this strategy to reach lower-income urban areas. In December 2019, the PSP approved a grant to assess and adapt the model during a market test. As part of the grant, the collaboration between G4G and Mars then continued until December 2020. This case study aims to share the lessons learned throughout this journey, in terms of public-private collaboration and innovation process.

This document has been designed to provide you with sustainable approaches to increase the consumption frequency of nutritional and other beneficial FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) products for lower income consumers. This toolkit has been created by experts in consumer insights and behavioural science, as well as marketing, distribution and communications strategy. It is a series of standardised modules and tactics to fuel your strategic marketing and innovation processes, helping you reach sustainable impact at scale (SIS).

Companies selling fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) have traditionally focused their marketing and distribution efforts on increasing penetration of their products. However, few have focused on increasing how frequently consumers purchase their products. While focusing on penetration can be a sound business strategy for traditional FMCGs companies, it cannot suffice for brands selling products meant to have a health impact achieved through repeat use. How can last-mile distributors encourage frequent consumption among consumers?

As is the case elsewhere, in Africa, many people depend entirely on food systems for employment and incomes as well. For these reasons, building resilient and sustainable food systems is crucial to ensuring sustainable economies and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 Goals. However, Africa remains food insecure, accounting for 256 million of the world’s 795 million people suffering from hunger. Against this challenge, this 2021 African Agriculture Status Report (AASR21) provides evidence and insights on the prospects of achieving resilience and sustainability in Africa’s food systems.

El proyecto que se presenta en esta publicación tiene como objetivo la mejora de la nutrición de población en riesgo del Departamento del Cauca y del Valle del Cauca, en Colombia, a través del consumo de Frucap, un producto altamente nutritivo y funcional que se canaliza a la población vulnerable a través de compras públicas y otras entidades del sector alimentario. Sin embargo, el gran éxito y aprendizaje del proyecto no se basa sólo en la accesibilidad del producto Frucap para poblaciones con deficiencias nutricionales, sino en el modelo de negocio inclusivo que hay detrás de su producción y desarrollo.

This white paper seeks to articulate the impacts of connectivity and propose a framework of financial, social and economic key performance indicators for the last-mile connectivity (LMC) sector, in order to ultimately drive investments in the sector. The purpose of the framework is to illuminate impact pathways that link investments in LMC enterprises to positive development outcomes.

This case study looks at the potential value of horticulture for farmers in Tanzania, and the contribution of the seed sector to the growing Tanzanian horticulture sector. It is intended for all those working in horticulture, in Tanzania and elsewhere, to stimulate thought and discussion on how to foster a vibrant sector with widespread benefits.