Development through
improved Marketing.
All to often
development efforts in developing countries do not have to impact that one
expects with the investments that are made.
There are numerous
theories to why this is so. These range from wrong targeting by the donor, lack
of empowerment of the beneficiaries, inadequate technology transfer, exclusion
of participants due to gender, politics or religion or even due to investment
in production of items that have no relevance to the culture in which they are
being promoted
Through my
experience in the field it has been proven time and time again that improved
marketing and business development that builds on local capacities while
introducing new technologies and techniques, can transcend many cultural
boundaries.
With improved
businesses that people understand and own, men and women not only improve their
income but also gain self-respect and confidence. And with an improved income
the two young salesmen above might have
a change at a proper education.
If you are
interested in improved marketing and fair trade, try one of the links below for
more information.
Micro Credit, BDS and Marketing Organizations
International Development
Organizations
Started by
myself while in Sri Lanka: the company works together with small scale farmers
to produce organic coffee. The coffee is roasted and packed in Sri Lanka
ensuring that the largest part f the income remains in the country.
Max Havelaar is originally a Dutch company that started to purchase
coffee directly from small scale producers, cutting out the larger middlemen
who controlled the prices. The coffee is slightly more expensive that other
brands but ensures producers a stable income. The coffee is of a very high
standard and is now sold widely in Europe
The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is an association of
fair trade wholesalers, retailers, and producers whose members are committed to
providing fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically
disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide.
Global
exchange is a human rights organization dedicated to promoting environmental, political,
and social justice around the world. The Website is
concerned with Fair trade and world wide action campaigns
Find
out how you can help in supporting Fair Trade practices on this new,
informative and useful Oxfam web site
Why
are Forest Garden Products special? Because they are certified as both
organicfree of pesticides and chemical fertilizeras well as completely
environmentally friendly. Forest Garden Products are grown in systems that
promote biodiversity, on once-degraded land that is re-greened to approximate
the structure and function of a natural forest.
Counterpart International is a non-profit international human development organization founded in 1965 as the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific. Headquartered in Washington D.C. and working in more than 60 countries.
The
Forest Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organization founded
in 1993 to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and
economically viable management of the world's forests.
Oxfam actively promotes Fair Trade. The Oxfam International web site with
links to all national Oxfam sites around the world.
www.itdg.org www.itdg.org.pe
(espanol)
The
Intermediate Technology Development Group ITDG strives to find practical
solutions to poverty through improved Energy, Transport, Agro
processing, Manufacturing, ICTs. Shelter, Disaster, reduction, Water &
Sanitation, Small-scale Miners, Food production.
A Sustainable
development site with models of different technologies, agriculture and
production systems. In Spanish English and German.
The National
Center for Appropriate Technology supplies information on sustainable
agriculture, alternative energy uses. (note: very slow)
Founded
in 1991 as a non-profit organization, DCAT draws on extensive experience in traditional
and alternative building and development, providing strategic support for the
shift to sustainable building practices
Appropriate
Technology Transfer for Rural Areasis a sustainable farming information center
operated by the private nonprofit National Center
for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). ATTRA provides technical assistance
to farmers, Extension agents, market gardeners, agricultural researchers,
Micro credit, BDS and Marketing
AFE is a non-profit organization established in 1991 to focus on small business development. AFE is committed to private sector development and believes that thriving businesses can create jobs, increase incomes, and result in long-lasting, positive impacts on communities, families and individuals. Excellent questionair formats and tools available!.
A Swiss based
site with good information on Small Enterprise Development
Started in 1976,
the Grameen bank has grown to be one of the largest micro credit organization
in Bangladesh and has become a world wide example.
The Bangladesh
Rural Advancement Committee provides micro credit to the rural and urban poor
in Bangladesh.
Banco
Solidario (Banco Sol). provides financial services to micro-entrepreneurs
in Bolivia on a commercially viable and profit oriented strategy.
In
1995, ProFund Internacional (ProFund), seeks a high return on investment for its
shareholders while promoting the growth of regulated and efficient financial
intermediaries whose main target market is the small and microenterprises
(SMEs) of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Fundes supports
small businesses in Latin America through providing information, training and
credit. The website shows Fundes' services (courses, consulting), offers
downloadable documents, a directory of enterprises and countries' pages
International
Development Organizations
Official
site of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Includes sections on the Netehrland
international development policy.
SNV
is a Dutch Development Organization that supports Private Sector Development
and Natural Resource Management as well as Good Governance
The
GTZ is a government-owned corporation for international cooperation
with worldwide operations.
DFID is the UK Government
department responsible for promoting development and the reduction of poverty.
The DFID site explains this UK department's role in promoting
development and the reduction of poverty...
The Danish Agency for Development Assistance DANIDA is
the Danish Agency for Development Assistance
JICA
is the Japanese International Co-operation Agency .
UN Agencies
The World Food
Programme works in ensuring food security. When possible it uses food to help
in the creation of assets and the establishment of income generating
activities. WFP works through implementing partners that provide expertise on
the above.
The
International Labor Office ahs a wide ranging programme in business
development. Ranging from the establishment of labor laws, support to micro
credit organizations to business development services. Also see www.ilo.org/seed for info on small
enterprise development
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries as a way to reduce poverty and improve people's lives.
IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, DC. It shares the primary objective of all World Bank Group institutions: to improve the quality of the lives of people in its developing member countries.
The United
Nations Development Programme has numerous Micro Credit Support Programmes
(Micro-Start) and other small-scale enterprise development initiatives.
The United
Nations Capital Development Fund
supports a wide range of projects throughout Africa and Asia. Working with a variety of
innovative approaches in both local governance and micro finance initiatives
The Food and
Agricultural Organization of the United Nations FAO supports a wide range of agricultural
activities including erosion control, diversified crop production and post
harvesting techniques.
The World Trade Organization
(WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of
trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and
signed by the bulk of the worlds trading nations and ratified in their
parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters,
and importers conduct their business.
It claims to be
working for sustainable development, but do macro economic policies block its
way? See their opinion.
For a full
overview of all UN Agencies see www.un.org
Established by
OCHA , the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs, this site provides some of the best and most recent vacancy
announcements on the web.
Up to date
information on recent development initiatives and new job opportunities
Free and prescription
service to a wide range of jobs in international development.