ENV partners with clients to develop, implement, and evaluate novel approaches to eradicate poverty and improve the livelihoods of the rural poor. We advise organizations on strategies to address a range of rural development issues. We also combine targeted analytics with market-based solutions to encourage the development of inclusive agricultural markets.
An associated farmer during cereals’ harvest on a climate-smart farming plot in Northern Mozambique.
Our expertise
Counting on our team’s experience on the ground in many developing countries of Africa, South America and Asia, our work unlocks sustainable change in the following areas:Sustainable agriculture
“ENV helps organizations strengthen production systems at farm level, develop and attain value chain sustainability, improve smallholder livelihoods, and promote certification for inclusive and resilient production systems”
Agriculture has changed dramatically since the end of the Second World War. Technological advancements, specialization and favourable government policies have enabled fewer farmers to produce more food and fibre at lower prices. This has disadvantaged small producers who often fail to place their produce on the market. ENV helps organizations strengthen production systems at farm level, develop and attain value chain sustainability, improve smallholder livelihoods, and promote certification for inclusive and resilient production systems.
Enterprise development
“We provide tools to identify needs and address them to foster SMEs growth and subsequently aid economic growth”
Developing enterprises comprises a number of tasks and processes generally aiming at developing and implementing growth opportunities within and between organizations. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have increasingly been part of the responses to development in most developing countries and have proven to play major roles of development in the developed world. However, SMEs still face major challenges that hinder their growth and prevent them from competing favourably with large scale companies. ENV helps organizations identify these needs and fulfil them in order to foster SMEs growth and subsequently aid economic growth.
Access to markets and finance
“ENV assists organizations with creating linkages with markets, improving financial literacy and access to financial services to stimulate the independence and self-development of poor households and micro, small and medium entrepreneurs”
Today, the majority of people do not have access to stable markets for their products and financial services such as credit, savings and insurance. Financial institutions typically refuse to serve poor households and micro-enterprises because of the lack of traditional collateral, lack of basic requirements for financing and geographic isolation. Yet access to markets and finance is essential for individuals to take advantage of business opportunities and to invest in education and save or insure against risks. ENV assists organizations with creating linkages with markets, improving financial literacy and building sustainable access points to financial services to stimulate the independence and self-development of poor households and micro, small and medium entrepreneurs.
Women and youth
“Our experts help you frame developing policies that are gender and age-responsive and articulate the inclusion of groups vulnerable to social, political or economic norms”
Half the world is women and half the world is under 25 years of age. Although women and youth are not a homogeneous group and their circumstances vary according to age, class, education, ethnicity, location and other cultural- and socio-economic characteristics, women and youth bear a disproportionate burden of global poverty. Because today the world is home to the largest generation of youth in history, this generation is one of the greatest determinants of whether or not the Sustainable Development Goals will be achieved. ENV provides strategies for organizations to frame developing policies that are gender and age-responsive and articulate the inclusion of groups and minorities vulnerable to social, political or economic norms.
Contact our Rural Development department for any questions or enquiries.
