Briefing note: using commercial pathways to scale up agricultural technologies

The Bureau for Food Security (BFS) of USAID commissioned five country studies examining the scaling up of agricultural innovations through commercial pathways in developing countries, to understand how the Agency – including its country missions and implementing partners (IPs) – can use donor projects to achieve greater scale and long-term commercial sustainability. 

The research sought to identify cases in which commercial scaling had occurred; examine the underlying factors that were important to the scaling outcome; and then develop guidance for the Agency, its IPs, and other donors. This briefing note summarizes those findings and suggests how projects can achieve greater scale and foster long-term commercial sustainability. This briefing note summarizes the lessons and recommendations from those reports. It is divided into four sections: Characteristics of the Innovation, Characteristics of the Country Context, Scaling Drivers and Strategies, and Recommendations for Project Design, Contracting, and Implementation.