Distribution of affordable, innovative technology - such as clean stoves, solar lights, and water filters - among low-income households has become a mainstream development intervention in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years. A typical product distribution program is initially funded by philanthropic money, with the aim of market forces eventually upholding a sustainable supply chain. Such programs often rely on a cadre of micro-entrepreneurs. The innovation of these programs is their multidimensional nature: not only do the end-users benefit from the innovative technology, but the intervention boosts micro entrepreneurs’ income and positively impacts the environment through clean energy products.
Despite the widespread implementation of this type of program around the world, with the exception of a few examples, Myanmar is not yet fully in the fray. Emerging from decades of conflict and isolation, and undergoing significant political and economic reform, Myanmar is relatively new to implementing market-driven approaches to poverty reduction. In this context, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with Mercy Corps initiated a 16-month pilot program named “Innovative Technologies for Rural Communities” targeting 100 villages in Kayin, Mon, and Shan states. Kopernik provided technical advice at key points of implementation, sharing comparative experience from similar interventions in Indonesia but also offering an insider-outsider perspective on the initiative’s features, strengths and weaknesses. This article delves into the key lessons learned from the Myanmar pilot and offers key insights into market system development efforts in emerging post-conflict economies.
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