BDCG Network

08/10/2026

💡 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟!

Have evidence, practical lessons or an innovative idea that could help transform African market systems? Share it at the BDCG Annual Conference 2026.

We invite you to submit an abstract exploring local solutions, inclusive finance and climate resilience. Your experience could spark new ideas, inform practice and open opportunities for collaboration.

⏳ Submission deadline: 16 October 2026
📅 Conference: 25–27 November 2026
📍 Venue: Pride Inn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa, Mombasa, Kenya
🔗 View the guidelines and submit your abstract:
https://lnkd.in/djgYu2B3

Bring your ideas. Share your solutions. Shape the conversation.
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28/08/2026

🌍 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚’𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

The BDCG Annual Conference 2026 will bring together market systems practitioners, governments, financial institutions, development partners, private-sector leaders, researchers, innovators, youth entrepreneurs and policymakers from across Africa and beyond to explore practical solutions for more resilient, inclusive and competitive market systems.

Under the theme “𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬: 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞,” conversations will centre around three interconnected areas: productive and resilient market systems; finance, enterprise and markets; and governance, inclusion and scale.

From climate resilience and inclusive finance to digitalisation, artificial intelligence, data systems and risk mitigation, the conference will provide a platform to share evidence and practical experiences, build partnerships, explore investment opportunities, and identify solutions that can be scaled across African markets.

📅 24–26 November 2026

📍 Pride Inn Paradise Beach Resort, Mombasa

Registration is now open!
Register here: https://mespt.org/bdcg/

Join us in Mombasa and be part of the conversation transforming African market systems.

19/08/2026

🌍 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧!

A big thank you to everyone who joined the first BDCG Annual Conference 2026 Webinar on 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚-𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘼𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙎𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝘼𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖

We appreciate the insightful contributions, questions and perspectives that made the conversation engaging and thought-provoking.

👏🏾 Special thanks to our speakers and partners for sharing their expertise and experiences:

🌱 Christine G. Kiria Chege, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT – strengthening food environments, inclusive markets and circular bioeconomy approaches.

🌍 David Ojwang, PhD, Farm Africa – exploring soil carbon market systems and opportunities for smallholder farmers through regenerative agriculture.

💡Geoffrey Nyamota, PhD, iDE Kenya – sharing its “One-to-Many” approach to scaling climate-smart technologies and services for smallholder farmers.

🌾 Meshark Sikuku, Ripple Effect – highlighting agroecological farming, farmer organisations, market linkages and inclusive approaches to building resilient market systems.

🔬 Rafael Popper, CASI-BIO, Warsaw University of Technology – exploring bioeconomy approaches, innovation and foresight for sustainable and inclusive agricultural transitions.

📺 Missed the session or want to revisit the conversation?

Watch the webinar on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/f4_2tAJp_hs

This is just the beginning. The insights from the webinar will continue to inform the journey towards the 𝐁𝐃𝐂𝐆 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

10/08/2026

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝘼𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚?

That's the conversation we're opening through the BDCG Annual Conference 2026 Webinar Series.

Join our first webinar on 18 August for a practical conversation on 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚, led by Pwani University, Ripple Effect, Farm Africa, iDE (International Development Enterprises), and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT,

We'll explore what is working, where the gaps remain, and what it will take to scale climate-smart agriculture, inclusive value chains, digital innovation and resilient food systems.

The conversation doesn't end with the webinar. Insights and recommendations will help shape the discussions at the BDCG Annual Conference 2026.

📅 18 August 2026
🕚 11:00 AM–12:00 PM EAT
💻 Zoom
🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/dmtV2S3P

Your experience, ideas and perspectives can help shape the conversation.

05/08/2026

📢 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐃𝐂𝐆 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬!

As we prepare for the BDCG Annual Conference 2026, we are pleased to launch a series of thematic webinars designed to foster dialogue, share practical knowledge, and shape conversations on transforming African market systems.

The first webinar will focus on:

𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚

📅 18 August 2026
🕚 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EAT)
📍 Zoom

Led by Pwani University Ripple Effect, Farm Africa, iDE (International Development Enterprises), and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, this webinar will bring together development partners, researchers, governments, financial institutions, agribusinesses, and private sector actors to explore practical approaches to strengthening resilient agricultural market systems.

📢 Save the date! Registration details will be shared soon.

26/11/2025

Victor Nyagaya, CEO of the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), delivered a keynote address at the BDCG Inclusive Markets Symposium, highlighting how regional collaboration can accelerate inclusive and sustainable market systems across Western Kenya.

Representing 14 counties interconnected through Lake Victoria, LREB continues to champion coordinated socio-economic growth for over 14 million people.

Mr. Nyagaya shared some of the bloc’s major achievements, including securing USD 50 million for climate-smart agriculture to strengthen value chains such as dairy, poultry, vegetables, tea, and coffee. He also outlined LREB’s advancements in the blue economy now producing over 28 million fingerlings annually and partnering with investors to establish Kenya’s largest rice processing plant, aimed at boosting market access and food security.

He emphasized three priorities for transforming regional agriculture:
🔹 Organizing farmers into strong, structured groups to attract investment and improve market readiness
🔹 Deepening collaboration between county governments, national government, private sector, researchers, and farmers
🔹 Strengthening linkages between SMEs, research institutions, and farmer organizations

He concluded with a powerful reminder that Kenya is a farming nation and the goal is to ensure farmers earn meaningful incomes, markets function efficiently, and development efforts lead to long-term self-sufficiency.

26/11/2025

The first session to set the tone of the symposium was “𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙎𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙨 𝘼𝙢𝙞𝙙 𝙖 𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚” led by Mathews Wanjala, who highlighted the urgency of rethinking how market systems operate in a changing funding environment. He emphasized that sustainability must account for long-term ripple effects, the donor landscape is shifting but not shrinking, and future interventions must demonstrate resilience, competitiveness, and inclusivity.

Panel Reflections:

Rewe Thomas (Dr. sci. agri.) representing academia stressed the need for research that drives real change. He called for multi-disciplinary collaboration, research that supports PPPs, and findings that are accessible to the private sector. On inclusion, he noted: “Participation cannot be equated to inclusion.”

George Okeyo representing private sector emphasized that private sector engagement depends on clear business value. He pointed out that aid has not always created sustainable growth, urged programs to prioritize quality over numbers, and underscored that research must offer solutions, not just publications.

Daniel Owino Wamunge representing County Government (Kisumu) highlighted the government’s role in translating research into practical value. He proposed establishing BDS frameworks, strengthening public–private dialogue, and developing PPP models. He also shared that Kisumu County has introduced a joint financing tracking tool to align stakeholder budgets.

Participants called for more meaningful public participation, shifting from talking at to talking to each other, and encouraged using digital tools to broaden engagement.

26/11/2025

The 2025 BDCG Symposium officially kicks off today!

We are excited to begin this important gathering of partners, experts, and innovators committed to advancing market systems development. Thank you to everyone joining us as we set the stage for insightful discussions, meaningful collaboration, and impactful solutions.

Let the conversations begin!

25/11/2025

Introducing the speaker lineup for the 2025 Market Systems Development Symposium, themed “𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞.”

This year’s speakers will lead conversations on:

1. Reimagining Market Systems Amid a Shifting Donor Landscape by Mathews Wanjala

2. Climate Change Adaptation, Green Transition and the Bioeconomy by Rebecca Amukhoye

3. Innovative Agri-Finance & Investment for Resilient Food Systems by Victor Ndiege

4. Inclusive Leadership, Empowering Youth, Promoting Gender Equality, Disability Inclusion, and Social Equity by Wairimu Munyinyi-Wahome

5. Trade & Regional Integration for Scaled Partnerships Geoffrey Nyamota, PhD

Join us from 26–28 November 2025 at Ciala Resort, Kisumu, as thought leaders and industry experts share insights that will shape the future of market systems across the region.

24/11/2025

TradeMark Africa’s commitment to advancing inclusive and competitive markets across the continent will be at the forefront as Mathews Wanjala, Senior Programme Manager – Market Systems, opens the 2025 Market Systems Development Symposium as our first speaker.

With over 20 years of experience driving inclusive trade, market systems development, and value chain transformation across Africa, Mathews brings critical insight to this year’s theme: “𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙎𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙨 𝘼𝙢𝙞𝙙 𝙖 𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚.”

His opening session will set the pace for the symposium—framing the conversation and laying a strong foundation for the sub-themes that follow. Drawing from his extensive work in public–private partnerships, trade facilitation reforms, and climate-smart and digital trade solutions, Mathews will challenge us to rethink how we build resilient, competitive, and inclusive economies.