4 billion people who are living on USD 2 per day per capita in the World make up the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) population. In this blog, I have identified a few reports which present how innovative business models and technologies in the BoP market can connect financial well -being with social progress, by making money and increasing the size of the pie for everyone. The BoP population lack access to essential goods and services like safe water, sanitation, food, housing etc. and face high transaction costs and barriers to entry when seeking to sell their produce. The following reports show how Innovative, scalable and inclusive business models can build new markets, expand access to different livelihood and income generating opportunities in commercially viable ways where the BoP population will be both contributors as well as beneficiaries of the system. The reports are focused on BoP population of different parts of the world like Latin American and Caribbean countries, East Asian and Pacific region and shows how financially sustainable models in different sectors like telecommunication, sanitation and safe water, agriculture, renewable energy, housing, transport etc. has proved to be a win –win for the private sector and society as a whole. I hope you will find the reports useful.

1.Leveraging Market Opportunities to Achieve Development Impact
Published by: International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group

Published by: International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group

Released: Jan 2015

Report link: Here

Sector: Sanitation and safe water

Globally more than 2.5 billion people lack access to safe water or adequate sanitation, including more than half the population of Sub-Saharan Africa. The report says “The private sector can bring welcome innovation and new business models, as well as financing, to the sector. And the private sector also stands to gain – the base of the pyramid (BoP) is increasingly recognized as a major underserved market for a range of products and services, and the water and sanitation industry is no exception”.

2.Bridging the gender gap:  Mobile access and usage in low and middle-income countries

Published by: GSMA, Altai Consulting

Released: March, 2015

Report link: Here

Sector: Telecommunication

The East Asia and Pacific region has the second highest number of unconnected females across low and middle income regions. According to the report, “Half of women at the base of the pyramid who do not own a mobile phone reported being interested in purchasing one, and 96% of them say the reason they do not own a phone is because they cannot afford it. These unconnected populations offer long-term opportunities for investment for mobile network operators and other mobile industry players.”

3. A Rising US $750 Billion Market-Unlocking Opportunities at the Base of the Pyramid in Latin American and the Caribbean

Published by: Inter-American Development Bank

Released: July 2015

Report link: Here

Sector: Food, Housing, Transport, Health etc.

This report brings out how the BOP households are reaping the benefits of a more stable economic environment and a period of high economic growth. As the report says, “In Latin America and the Caribbean, the BOP has traditionally been served by a combination of local and independent “mom and-pop shops,” small retailers, kiosks, and market stands that are largely owned by the BOP population” . This report has highlighted expenditure trends at the BOP and the market opportunities they represent for the private sector in Latin America and the Caribbean.

4. Smallholder farmers and business

Published by: HYSTRA

Released: July 2015

Report link: Here

Sector: Agriculture

The report says “working at the Base of Pyramid often requires challenging and reinventing traditional business approaches, to place farmers at the center of the value proposition and operations. No less is required to make them the successful partners of tomorrow that any agricultural company wants to work with in a world of increasing uncertainty and volatility.

5. wPOWER: Connecting the Dots, A Resource Guide

Published by: USAID|India, SSP, Re-emerging World

Released: 2015

Report link: Here

Sector: Renewable Energy

In spite of the improvement in access to energy over the last twenty years in India, with more than 75 percent of the population now having electricity, millions of households in India, particularly in rural areas still suffer from a chronic lack of access to modern energy services. “Clean energy technology and its products, have become more reliable, affordable, and diverse, with advanced solutions existing in the market today. The Partnership on Women’s Entrepreneurship in Clean Energy program (wPOWER India) has built and empowered a network of over 1,000 women-clean energy entrepreneurs, who work in rural underserved areas.”