Locally led development as a global practice

It sounds remarkable: While participation and agency have long been at the centre of international cooperation, a recent OECD Report states that only 1.2% of global Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds are channelled directly to local NGOs. Does this mean that the topics of participation and aid effectiveness have not been taken seriously? Not necessarily. Direct finance flows are not the full story, although the debate on locally led development often focuses on these. Enabling locally led development requires more than direct finances: It needs a dynamic interplay of complementary actors who together provide intermediation, technology transfer, and capacity sharing to achieve lasting progress at scale towards the SDGs. This remains the primary goal of international cooperation, to which locally led development serves.

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Transforming Kosovo's organic sector together

“Collaborating with Swisscontact has greatly enhanced our capacity to support organic operators and service providers in Kosovo. Together, we’ve facilitated the growth of certified organic operators from just 2 to over 40, enabling us to promote Kosovo’s organic products abroad with stronger impact. This partnership aligns seamlessly with Organika’s mission to empower members and to lead the organic certification process. Within the next five to seven years, we aim for certified organic products to make up the majority of our exports. With Swisscontact’s technical support, we have achieved milestones we couldn’t reach alone.”

– Faton Nagavci, Executive Director of Organika Association

Since 2017, Swisscontact through the Promoting Private Sector Employment (PPSE) project’s collaboration with local partner Organika has been pivotal in transforming organic sector in Kosovo, fostering sustainable growth and positioning Organika as a key driver of development. Through this partnership, Organika has positioned itself as a sector leader, facilitated access to premium export markets, branding Kosovo as a producer of high-quality organic Medicinal Aromatic Plants (MAPs) and Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs). With Organika now in the driving seat, the focus is on sustaining growth and driving independent innovation in the industry.

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Enhancing waste management in Guatemala

"Swisscontact was an important partner in helping us to make the waste management process in the region more coordinated and efficient. Swisscontact provided us with expertise and materials, while other institutions provided logistics and personnel. Thanks to this collaboration, we were able to strengthen capacities and update our management plan for solid waste in the lake basin. This is an important step towards sustainable management."

– Fernando Farfán, Manager of the municipal association Mancomunidad de Municipios del Lago Petén Itzá, Guatemala

The Sustainable Mayan Landscapes project in Petén works in the Maya Biosphere Reserve and aims to promote sustainable development by strengthening institutions and improving waste management, while fostering biodiversity conservation, sustainable construction and transportation. Thanks to the project, the municipal association of Lake Petén Itzá initiated a process of updating the solid waste management plan in which they leveraged a lot of support from other institutions and are managing to have a bigger impact than initially envisioned.

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Swisscontact empowers local development in Lebanon

"Swisscontact’s technical assistance adds an external perspective, enhancing our decision-making to ensure the programme’s sustainability. Their insights have been instrumental in helping us create a more resilient model."

– Sari Hawa, Programme Manager at The Nawaya Network

In Lebanon, Swisscontact is driving sustainable development by partnering with local actors such as The Nawaya Network and arcenciel, enabling them to lead initiatives – for example in the construction sector – that address critical market needs and foster private sector engagement. These collaborations not only empower local organisations, but also enhance long-term impact through Swisscontact’s inclusive systems development approach.

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