Black Pearl takes an inclusive market systems development (MSD) approach to development goals whether the objectives are related to economic development, health, or natural resource conservation. Using best practices set forth by the Donors Committee on Enterprise Development (DCED), Black Pearl experts bring decades of global MSD experience in agriculture and livestock sectors as well as off-farm sectors such as tourism, finance, and digital/ITC services. Our team can support organizations in sector selection, market systems assessments, impact assessments and documentation of learning, and staff training in MSD principles and practice.
Market Systems Development
A key piece to MSD is engaging the private sector. Black Pearl experts excel at facilitating relationships among diverse private sector companies, from microenterprises to global corporations. The team employs best practices in private sector engagement utilizing tools for conducting due diligence, procurement model assessments, establishment of contract farming/out grower operations, SWOT analysis, capacity building needs assessments, and more.
Our consultants have deep experience with promoting legal and public policy frameworks to enable a vibrant, inclusive business environment. We have expertise in public-private partnerships, fostering MSME associations and advocacy, helping governments design and implement sound policies to promote private sector competitiveness and equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.
Black Pearl consultants use their understanding of the market systems, value chains, and regulatory environments in which micro, small, and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) operate to design and facilitate sustainable services to help these firms to develop business plans, create marketing strategies, and build capacity around financial and operations management.
Black Pearl provides people who may lack the skills, market connections, or resources with training, advocacy, and market access to support themselves and their families, assisting women, youth, and other underserved groups to make a decent living. We help workers organize and advocate for their rights, and we can design vocational training programs that develop the skills in workers that the private sector needs.
Black Pearl’s team employs a GESI lens across MSD programs, from value chain selection to market systems assessments, facilitating private sector engagement, and conducting monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) protocols. Experts go beyond token engagement of women and youth and are leaders in the integration of GESI into the mainstream of MSD programming.