© Helvetas / Simon Opladen

Private Sector Development

Helvetas creates partnerships and promotes policies that build sustainable business environments and foster inclusive economies.
© Helvetas / Simon Opladen

Future generations can help lift their communities out of poverty if they have access to reliable and fair employment. Helvetas supports job creation and entrepreneurship opportunities for the growing global population.

Building inclusive economies

Poverty eradication is made possible through inclusive employment opportunities. But preparing the global labor force to take on new types of jobs and ensuring supply meets demand is a complex challenge. To keep pace with labor force growth, it is estimated that 470 million new jobs will be needed over the period from 2016–2030.

While agriculture remains the main source of employment in developing countries, rapid urbanization and shifting interests of the next generation has heightened the importance of non-farmbased activities such as manufacturing, construction, tourism, and information technology services. Supporting local private sector development and investing in digital transformation are crucial factors for creating attractive, plentiful and secure earning opportunities for women and men around the world.

© Fatoumata Diabate
«The market out here is limited. I want my vegetable business to grow. I want to build something that is going somewhere and that I can earn good money with.»

Korotimi Kamaté, a vegetable farmer in the San District, southern Mali

Our work

Helvetas’ work in private sector development focuses on inclusive job creation, economic transition and digitalization. We partner with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and with large organizations to create sustainable income and job opportunities across farm and non-farm sectors. Helvetas supports businesses’ efforts to increase production, productivity, and the quality of products and services, while promoting inclusiveness and gender equity that ensures no one is left behind.  

Helvetas also strategically invests in digitalization. Our programs take into consideration the needs and capacities of women and other disadvantaged groups often left behind by efforts to digitize activities, as well as the threats and opportunities digitalization can bring to less developed economies.

Our Expertise and Services

Our multilingual team provides advice on private sector development to Helvetas’ programs as well as to external clients.

Learn more and contact us

© RisiAlbania
The RisiAlbania project focuses on Albania's niche agriculture products such as Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) © RisiAlbania
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© RisiAlbania
Tourist guides with graduation certificates, after completing trainings offered by the National Association of Tourist Guides of Albania (NATGA) and certified by the Ministry of Economic Development, Tourism, Trade and Enterprise. © RisiAlbania
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Check out our blog for the latest updates

© GMB Akash

Sustainable economy

Read our blog posts

Urban engagement

Read our blog posts
Elektrotechnik-Lernende, Tansania | © Franz Thiel

Digitalization

Read our blog posts

Selected Projects: Private Sector Development

Helvetas develops and guides projects. To be sustainable, they must be locally embedded. We support our local private sector partners to have inclusive business models and assist local authorities to better assume their responsibilities.

© Fatoumata Diabate
Private Sector Development

Dynamizing Agriculture for the Youth

© Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
Laos Private Sector Development

Good Tea Fetches Good Prices

© Helvetas / Simon B. Opladen
Nepal Private Sector Development

Riverbed Vegetables

Guatemala Private Sector Development

Women´s Agro-entrepreneurship in the Highlands

© Helvetas
Vietnam Private Sector Development

Fighting Poverty with Responsible Tourism

Vietnam_Biotrade_Woman | © Helvetas
Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar Private Sector Development

Ethical Trade in Botanicals

© Helvetas
Kyrgyzstan Private Sector Development

Creating Jobs to Escape Poverty

© Helvetas / Patrick Rohr
Bosnia-Herzegovina Private Sector Development

Making Markets and Jobs

© Helvetas
Bangladesh Private Sector Development

A healthy diet for women and children

© Helvetas / Simon B. Opladen
Bolivia Private Sector Development

Cocoa harvesting, protecting forests

Anfanni 2023 | © Simon B. Opladen
Benin Private Sector Development

Encouraging Rural Youth to Become Entrepreneurs

© Helvetas
Tajikistan Climate & Disaster Resilience

For a Self-Determined Life in Dignity

Albania Private Sector Development

Making Markets Work for the Youth

International bloggers visited Kyrgyzstan | © Helvetas
Kyrgyzstan Private Sector Development

Sustainable Winter Tourism Development Project

Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, India Partnership & Capacity Development

Value Chain Capacity Building Network

Tanzania Private Sector Development

Climate-Smart Organic Cotton

© Helvetas
India WASH & Water Governance

Fair and Good – for People and Planet

© Helvetas
Vietnam Private Sector Development

Swiss Import Promotion Program