Volume 4.3 - Good Practices and Lessons Learned : final consideration on informal economy good practices

The research work presented in the Volume 4.3: Good Practices and Lessons Learned aims at identify good practices and lessons learned relevant to the support of people whose livelihoods depend on informal economy.

The starting assumption of this research was that although informal economy is usually not considered as a target issue within the framework of development project, it represents a reality that should be taken into account considering its importance and impact for local population. In fact, according to ILO, informal economy comprises more than half of the global labour force and more than 90% of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) worldwide. The objective of the research was thereby to provide objectives and empiric information to support awareness toward the importance of informal economy issues.

A general conclusion is that practically every development project, notably the EC-funded projects analysed in this report faces the issues of informality in its implementation and thus, is related to the informal economy context in implicit or explicit way.

The main best practices and lessons learned from this analysis have been presented in a series of posts on the IESF Group in the last few months.

The main best practices, tools and lessons learned identified within the framework of the 15 EC projects are briefly presented hereafter:

1. Good practices relevant for the IE context:

• Innovative and “nutrition-sensitive” food security intervention for improved nutrition.
• International business development, standards and environmental issues: informal producers at the time of global market.
• Good practice - Employment, Migration & Informal economy: remittances for businesses and job creation
• Informal Economy and rural development: from subsistence agriculture to value chain.
• Support to youth empowerment in the informal economy
• Supporting SMEs and local producers’ organization and business growth.
• GOOD PRACTICE: Promoting civil registration in Niger
• Financial support to informal MSMEs, the case of financial and business development services in Mongolia.
• Informal workers' association, the case of solidary producers’ groups in Kyrgyz Republic

1. Lessons learned

• Social cohesion and community involvement in project implementation
• Lesson learnt: Formalization vs precarious employment: informal economy and secondary labour market

More best practices, case studies and lessons learned on informal economy are available at :“Good Practices and Lessons Learned – Case studies of 15 EC-funded projects”.