DESIRABLE FACTORS
Be evolutionary: Enable maturation
of the program model with a clear
understanding of the differing factors
which can affect the effectiveness of
implementation. A key reason for
KDSCPs success is that the project
started out with one set of facilitators
and through the success of those
initial initiatives, the program selected
champions to work across milk sheds.
Without this the program would have
struggled to find a strong entry point
for up scaling.
Assure good project governance:
Ensure that project budgets are
aligned to readily identifiable
deliverables. The project must be able
to marry output documents such as
reports (to satisfactory quality),
training resources and other items to
both terms of reference and agreed
contracts.
Formalize processes: The
implementation of a process model
allowed KDSCP to ensure it did not
become activity based but rather
enabled it to adopt a clear path to
implementing activities and
understand the value of that activity in
the context of the wider program. This
also enables team members to be
able to conceptualize, discuss, agree,
review and implement with a clear
vision of expected outputs. By
adopting a process approach to
managing activities, a project is able
to reassess available resources and
focus on delivery to the key
beneficiaries.
Strengthen BDS supply in weak or
limited markets: One key problem in
weak or limited markets is that few, if
any, providers are serving the target
enterprises. The facilitator can
promote new and spin-off providers by
assessing demand and the ability of
the market to support additional
service providers. The facilitator can
promote the process of spinning off
services by playing the role of a
consultant to spin off providers and
offer guidance on key aspects of the
process throughout initiation,
management, and expansion.
Always ask 'if we were not doing
this then who would be doing it?':
Asking this question can ensure long
term sustainability of program activities
as the private sector takes over the
facilitators role. For example KDSCP
are challenged with handing over the
program website and e-market place
to the private sector. 'Who owns' and
'who pays'? Are key challenges.
Involving the private sector in devising,
and developing appropriate business
models can better ensure a market fit,
financial investment and a sense of
ownership.
Recognize that benefits are
delivered after completion: It is
fundamental to understand that there
are a large number of intangible
benefits associated with the choice of
working to develop the market system.
Many of these benefits will be
observable in the long term as the
market seeks to adopt those elements
which work for them. Hence, a large
proportion of value will be generated
beyond the end of the project period.
Be adaptive, flexible and responsive:
Take a very responsive and incremental
approach and undertake various
assessments during the life of the
program rather than at the onset. Allow
activities to be re informed from
continuous learning.
Be accountable: Accountability is a
problem as little attention is often given
to measuring impacts (or achieving
scale) and donor ‗champions‘ lack the
data they need. There is a belief that ―all
growth is good for the poor‖ which is
questionable. Therefore our challenges
must include measuring and reporting
credibly on impacts on poverty, and at
scale.
Allow budgetary independence:
Managers must be given the flexibility for
amending budget lines as the project
evolves. Whilst it is important for the
donor to provide procurement guidelines
for contracts, the project manager must
be in a position to be able to make
budget decisions which reflect the
market responsiveness of the project.
Give a market systems project time: A
key element in the success of KDSCP
has been the fact that it has run for a
number of years, allowing it to match its
pace and duration to the task at hand.
Often projects fail because they are
never allowed to mature to the stage
where they begin to effectively deliver.
Map the market: Undertake market
mapping in terms of preparedness of
consumers to pay for services, how often
and at what rate.
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