Building Stronger Aid Programmes Through Market Analysis

“I had lost everything, but today I can save money thanks to my business,” says Mama Alice, 37. She received start-up capital to launch a food business at a market in the Southwest region of Cameroon.

Market Analysis: Core to Effective Aid

Market analysis is at the core of IRB’s efforts to design effective, sustainable aid programmes. By understanding how local markets function, we can strengthen economies, empower communities, and ensure aid delivery is both impactful and efficient. Through our commitment to capacity building, IRB is equipping humanitarian actors with the tools they need to integrate market analysis into their programmes, ensuring evidence-based decision-making that minimizes risks and maximizes benefits.

Why Market Analysis Matters

Market analysis enables us to support local economies while minimizing the risk of unintentionally disrupting livelihoods. By assessing whether markets can supply essential goods and services, ensuring safe and fair access, and determining scalability for cash or voucher assistance (CVA), IRB ensures that humanitarian aid strengthens—rather than weakens—local communities.

At IRB, our project managers and supply chain specialists collaborate to align strategic goals, operational requirements, and the insights gained through market analysis. This approach allows us to determine the most appropriate delivery mechanism—be it cash transfers, vouchers, or in-kind aid.

By integrating market analysis into our planning, we not only meet urgent needs but also foster economic resilience and long-term recovery in crisis-affected areas.

Challenges in the Humanitarian Sector

Despite its proven benefits, market analysis is not yet a standard practice across humanitarian organizations. Several challenges hinder its widespread adoption:

Limited Awareness and Capacity: Many humanitarian professionals lack the training or resources to conduct comprehensive market assessments.
Fragmented Data Sharing: A lack of coordination results in duplicated efforts and knowledge gaps, limiting the effectiveness of aid programmes.
Insufficient Training for Non-Technical Staff: While technical specialists may have expertise in market assessments, frontline humanitarian workers often lack access to practical training on how to implement these insights in programming.

IRB’s Market Analysis Capacity-Building Initiative

As part of our broader efforts to enhance cash preparedness and localization strategies, IRB is rolling out a comprehensive training initiative to empower humanitarian actors with market analysis skills. This initiative is designed to improve coordination among NGOs, strengthen technical knowledge, and ensure humanitarian aid supports local economies in a responsible and sustainable manner.

Key Training Components

Foundational Training on Market Analysis Methodologies

Equipping humanitarian professionals with the skills to conduct detailed market assessments.

Training of Trainers (ToT) Programme

Building a network of experts capable of training others within the sector.

Coordination and Knowledge Sharing

Enhancing collaboration in market analysis across multiple country contexts.

Advocacy for CVA and Localized Procurement

Promoting evidence-based decision-making in humanitarian response strategies.

Market Analysis Training Programme

IRB’s training programme is designed for humanitarian professionals responsible for making decisions about aid delivery and procurement strategies. Target participants include:

Supply chain and logistics staff
Programme managers
CVA technical specialists
Monitoring and evaluation professionals
Local NGO representatives

These training sessions will be delivered virtually, ensuring accessibility across different regions and accommodating diverse language needs.

Training Modules

IRB Market Analysis Using MSMA

A five-session virtual course (two hours per session) focused on conducting Multi-Sector Market Assessments (MSMA) for programmes lasting six months or more. Participants will receive step-by-step guidance and contextualized tools based on the MSMA framework developed by global humanitarian leaders.

IRB Rapid Market Assessment with Stoplight

A four-hour interactive training on conducting Stoplight Rapid Market Assessments for emergency and low-risk projects. This training provides participants with ready-to-use tools developed by global market analysis experts.

IRB Training of Trainers on Market Analysis Methodologies

Designed for those who have completed the MSMA and Stoplight trainings, this module equips trainers with the skills to teach market analysis methodologies across different humanitarian contexts.

Key Information

Cost: All training courses are free.
Certification: Participants will receive a certificate upon course completion.
How to Enroll: The training programme is set to launch in Spring 2025 and will run regularly through October 2026. Interested participants can sign up via the link below to stay updated.

IRB is committed to ensuring humanitarian aid is not only responsive but also sustainable. Through market analysis, we build programmes that empower communities, support local economies, and create lasting resilience.