Helping Small-Scale Producers and Businesses Access Sustainability Markets
IISD equips small-scale producers and businesses with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to better engage and compete in sustainability markets.
A growing suite of new regulations is making sustainable production practices a prerequisite for accessing international markets, rather than a voluntary endeavour to gain competitive advantage. It is now more important than ever that small-scale producers and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in low- and middle-income countries are able to comply with voluntary and mandatory market access requirements. Otherwise, those already living on the margins risk being further excluded from global trade networks.
IISD’s Sustainability Markets Hub provides training and resources to help producers and SMEs meet the criteria required to access international sustainability markets, while also connecting them with key international buyers to ensure their efforts are not in vain. Our work on capacity and connection building includes two main aspects:
- business roundtables; and
- training and e-learning.
Business roundtables
We host roundtables that bring together policy officials, producers, exporters, and buyers interested in supporting sustainable production practices and connecting with small-scale producers, businesses, and cooperatives who are export ready but need support with market access through direct trade linkages.
Examples of previous roundtables we have convened include
- an event to connect organic cocoa producers and exporters in Madagascar with Canadian buyers; and
- an event to strengthen the position of women coffee producers in Rwanda in the global marketplace.
We are also supporting the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) with their inaugural Organic and Nature Expo in November 2026, which aims to connect farmers, businesses, policy-makers, and investors across Africa’s organic sector.
Training, e-learning, and pilot projects
We provide tailored training and e-learning sessions for producers, SMEs, and policy-makers to enhance their understanding of what is required to comply with voluntary sustainability standards and emerging regulatory developments in key export markets. We also partner with producers and businesses to conduct pilot projects that help them adopt best practices that support compliance with sustainability requirements.
Examples of IISD's training, pilot projects, and e-learning services
Exploring Sustainable Markets and Trade Opportunities for COMESA Countries
Webinar series for COMESA member states, producers, and SMEs to enhance understanding of sustainability standards and regulatory developments.
Leveraging Intraregional Trade of Organic Products from the Eastern Africa Region
This workshop saw policymakers, national bureaus of standards, organic producers, certification bodies, and value chain actors engaged in dialogue on strengthening the trade of organic products in East Africa.
Presentation de l’étude de l’IIDD sur les marchés biologiques – Opportunités pour le Madagascar
French-language webinar offered insights into trends in Madagascar’s organic production and exports. It also positioned Madagascar within the broader African context, providing a comparative analysis of how the country differs from its regional peers.
Sustainability Standards and Increasing Investments in Sustainable Agriculture
This two-day virtual workshop explored challenges and opportunities related to voluntary sustainability standards in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) region.
Improving Visibility in Cotton Supply Chains to Achieve Transparency
This brief maps the supply chains of actors in the cotton sector in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka for a Sweden-based fashion retailer.
Training Workshop on Promoting Agricultural Cooperatives in Cambodia: The role of voluntary sustainability standards and responsible contract farming
This workshop provided training and guidance on how various policy and legal tools can support agricultural cooperatives in Cambodia and address some of the challenges they face.
Online Training Workshop for Cambodia: How can policy-makers leverage voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) for better agricultural practices?
This workshop informed policy-makers and industry actors how they can better leverage VSSs to support market access for farmers, catalyze investment, and deliver sustainable development outcomes.
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