Sector Transformation – theory and practical guidelines to transform commodity sectors

Sustainable sector transformation – why is it important, what is it, and how can you achieve it? AidEnvironment presents a theory and practical guidelines to better understand complex systems and develop strategies for contributing to systemic changes and sector transformation.

For several years we have researched and worked with our partners and clients on strategies to make national commodity sectors more competitive and sustainable, at scale, and more resilient over time. From these experiences we have learned that sector transformation requires a coordinated systems approach. This is not an easy thing to describe, let alone to accomplish, as it depends very much upon the current situation and wider context.

Based on our practical experience we have developed a theory and practical guidelines to understand and identify the key elements of complex systems and the root causes of poor performance, all from a systems perspective. We have produced a guidebook that presents a step by step approach to developing a sector transformation strategy, accompanied by guidelines for managing, monitoring and evaluating systemic changes and sector transformation. We describe the process of implementing these steps. Ideally this is a joint learning process by all the key stakeholders. The publication is written for those who aim to improve the performance of a national commodity sector as a whole, rather than just creating local success stories.