Resource
Increasing the Reach and Impact of Technical Assistance Funding (Jan 2021) explores how technical assistance (TA) can address challenges and stimulate growth for rural-impacting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the agricultural sector. These enterprises face low margins, high operating costs, multiple risks, difficulties in achieving scale, and limited access to talent — all of which constrain their capacity in areas such as strategic thinking, financial planning, and operations.
The report presents a range of TA design and delivery mechanisms, using case studies to illustrate how facilities can strengthen agribusinesses and other MSMEs. It also highlights a major constraint: TA facilities are often fully grant subsidised, which limits their ability to scale. The research considers whether TA can be deployed more sustainably through recycling of capital and identifies factors that influence this potential and long-term viability.
Research by Open Capital Advisors, commissioned by Small Foundation.