Latest News!!!
(Updated: 1 March 2010)

We are finally starting to roll out the new communications model for MaFI. It was designed using the feedback and great ideas of more than 50 members. A thousand times THANK YOU! to them. To know more about this model please go to: http://bit.ly/aAOQ6o

A key lesson has been that MaFI needs to communicate with current members in different ways and through different channels depending on their level of commitment. The new communication model will separate current members into two groups: Members and “Listeners”.

(1) Members: those who contribute with their expertise, time and effort to MaFI’s mission of advancing the practice of pro-poor market development.

The new platform for online discussions between members is LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com). This platform has been tested by a small group of members for the last two weeks and it is working very well.

>>>> If you want to be part of this group please fill out the application form at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NQSJ7K9

(2) “Listeners”: those who wish to stay informed about MaFI’s activities and final products but cannot commit to discussions, peer-support or production of new knowledge.

>>>> If you want be part of this group and receive information about MaFI’s news and products you can become a fan of MaFI in Facebook (http://bit.ly/bfHF5R), follow MaFI on Twitter (http://twitter.com/marketfacil), or ask the facilitator to keep you informed via email.

Other exciting features of the new communications model are:

- Face-to-face interactions to complement the online discussions: Local Learning Groups are already taking shape in Bangladesh, Lima and London!

- Expert Review Panels for special documents

- Guest “stars” to spur debates and bring to MaFI the state-of-the art in pro-poor market development facilitation

- A calendar of main learning topics and events to help members plan their time.

MARCH WILL BE THE MONTH OF SMART SUBSIDIES FOR AGRICULTURE KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION SERVICES!!! Apply soon and participate of these interesting discussions. The discussion paper is ready at http://bit.ly/9kNwWZ (Spanish version coming soon!)

Previous news:

• MaFI promoted online discussions before and after an ESRC Seminar on Sustainable Livelihoods and Pro-Poor Market Development which took place at the Uni of Bath in the UK on the 21st July 2009. Some of the questions and issues posted by MaFI members were shared with the presenters. THE SYNTHESIS DOCUMENT IS READY at http://bit.ly/auXlBA

• MaFI-licious has now more than 160 online resources for pro-poor market dev facilitators! (What is MaFI-licious? See below)

MaFI Learning Teams: What’s up?

- Linkages: A podcast on Lead Firms is being edited and in April/May the team will launch online discussions to learn more about facilitation techniques to engage lead firms of processes of pro-poor market development.
- Capacity Building: the team will continue building on the process started with Engineers Withour Borders (Canada) who have developed a guideline to build the capacity of facilitators in the field.

Overview: The Market Facilitation Initiative (MaFI) is a joint effort of the SEEP Network and the Livelihoods Network, with the support of Practical Action.

MaFI aims to assist practitioners working in Pro-Poor Market Development to move from market assessments and program design to implementation by advancing practical principles, techniques, and tools.

Currently, there is a wide body of resources on how to conduct market research and program design for market development programs. However there is far less available on the “how” in terms of program implementation.

What is Pro-Poor Market Development? Pro-poor market development can be understood as any process of change that contributes to the participation of marginalized producers and their families and to the benefits they get from existing and potential markets in which they do business, earn incomes and access products and services.

Learning Agenda 2009: MaFI is currently focusing on three areas:

• Subsidies: with emphasis on agricultural technical knowledge (including extension services)
• Linkages (vertical and horizontal)
• Capacity building (of facilitators)

Examples of other resources produced by MaFI:

• MaFI-licious: an online, live annotated bibliography on current practices, tools and methods used in pro-poor market facilitation. This resource uses the Delicious platform (Delicious is a popular bookmark service that allows people to share web-based resources). Only members can add and edit MaFI-licious but anyone can access its resources at: http://delicious.com/marketfacil

• State of the Practice in Market Facilitation: a synthesis document based on an online discussion amongst MaFI members (29 Sep – 3 Oct, 2008)

ATTENTION: MAFI HAS MOVED INTO NEW WEB PLATFORMS, AUTOMATIC SIGN UP HAS BEEN DISABLED. PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE TO JOIN.

Facilitator:
Lucho Osorio, International Coordinator of the Markets and Livelihoods Programme, Practical Action

Attachment	Size	Hits	Last download
MaFI meeting Washington DC, 7 Aug 2009.JPG	1.84 MB	586	1 week 4 days ago
Learning+Agenda,+MaFI,+ver0.doc	62.5 KB	10	2 weeks 5 days ago
Market Facilitation Synthesis- FINAL.pdf	695.98 KB	131	15 hours 13 min ago
SLA-PPMD,synthesis,MaFIdiscussionFINAL,rev2,5nov09.pdf	249.63 KB	148	2 days 49 min ago