What if the key to reducing rural poverty lies in better business relationships?

That question was at the heart of Musika, a rural development initiative in Zambia supported by Sida from 2013 to 2022. The programme sets out to strengthen market systems by helping small private companies engage with smallholder farmers, creating fairer access to inputs, services and buyers.

Nordic Consulting Group (NCG) was commissioned to assess Sida’s work with poverty in development and fragile contexts in the Strategic Evaluation of Sida’s Work with Poverty, drawing on eight case studies conducted in Zambia and South Sudan. Our Impact Study of Musika identified clear and lasting results, including higher incomes, improved food security and stronger market connections for farming communities across Zambia.

At NCG, we see evaluations like this as more than accountability exercises. They are opportunities to learn what truly drives sustainable change, and to inspire new thinking on how market-based approaches can empower rural communities.

The lessons from Musika can be applied beyond Zambia and remain highly relevant for future development programming, not least within a Making Markets Work for the Poor approach.

Read the full report here