IESC

Building sustainable market systems requires the alignment of incentives across government, private sector, civil society, and smallholder farming communities. At IESC, we bring these groups together to create market systems that are resilient, inclusive, and self-sustaining.

IESC engages local actors who are willing and committed to invest their own time and resources, fostering a "crowding in" effect that extends impact beyond a project’s lifecycle. We cultivate strong government relationships to advance shared objectives and institutionalize program outcomes for long-term success — because government ownership is foundational to lasting change.

We recognize that every stakeholder in a well-functioning market system plays a complementary role. Through steering committees, advisory councils, and coordination platforms, IESC facilitates meaningful collaboration that incentivizes local investment without creating donor dependency.

Our commitment to rigorous testing, monitoring, and adaptive management ensures interventions remain context-specific, inclusive, and effective. The result? Increased productivity and incomes, stronger climate resilience, greater dietary diversity, and more inclusive rural economies.

Among many effective solutions that support rural agricultural communities, IESC utilizes an advanced Farmer Field School methodology to encourage knowledge transfer among smallholder farmers who share insights gained over years of experience. Small groups learn together on a farm, rather than in a classroom, through discovery, practice, and hands-on experience.

This approach improves crop yields and strengthens the entire value chain. Packinghouses, cooperatives, and extension service providers build their skills and improve how knowledge flows through the system.

Past farmer field schools have covered integrated pest management, soil fertility, water management, and post-harvest handling, among other topics, strengthening producers’ ability to deliver consistent volumes and quality aligned with market expectations. IESC embeds new food safety practices at the field level that minimize, reduce, or, in some cases, eliminate pesticide residues that present a danger to consumers. With strong leadership from community farmers, good agricultural practices are adopted more easily, empowering whole communities. 🌱

2024 was a milestone year for IESC:
✅ Celebrated 60 years of impact since our founding in 1964
✅ Helped 13,321 people secure new or better jobs
✅ Supported businesses to increase sales by $281M
✅ Surpassed funder satisfaction targets and strengthened our financial position

Much has changed in the foreign assistance landscape in 2025, including the early closure of some programs, but IESC remains strong, focused, and committed to our mission of driving economic growth, fostering self-reliance, and improving lives worldwide.

Read more from President and CEO David Hartingh and Board Chair Wing Keith here: https://iesc.org/iesc-news/09042025/