Publications

Boosting the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises is crucial to transform Benin into a resilient and sustainable economy.

Increasing the competitiveness of small firms in the Philippines is vital to build resilience to shocks while promoting sustainable and inclusive growth.

Small firms are at the heart of Eswatini’s participation in international value chains. But they often struggle to trade due to production capacity constraints, including inadequate managerial skills and certification, failure to engage with business support organizations and weak linkages with...

This ITC 50th anniversary publication explores new opportunities to connect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries to global markets, provides recommendations for trade assistance and presents a road map for ITC’s future work.

Companies in 16 French-speaking African countries are more likely to export when they comply with international standards, according to a joint survey by ITC and the Permanent Conference of African and Francophone Consular Chambers (CPCCAF). Among 9,000 firms surveyed, only 25% have an...

Global markets for sunflower products The sunflower value chain encompasses sunflower seeds, oil and cake. The global production of sunflower seed has doubled in the past 20 years, driven by improved yields and expanded acreage. The bulk of sunflower seed produced is used to make sunflower oil,...

Cambodia's small and medium-sized enterprises play a central role in the country's economy and development, but face a number of challenges that have been further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Women make up almost half of Kenya’s labour force, yet they remain on the margins of business ownership – only 9% of Kenya’s firms are majority women-owned.

What keeps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana from being competitive in international markets is often not of their own making, such as unreliable electricity and high interest rates.

The SME Competitiveness Outlook 2021 analyses how small businesses can rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic so they are prepared to face the looming climate crisis. It provides a 20-point Green Recovery Plan to foster competitive, resilient and environmentally sustainable small and medium-sized...

A comparison of sustainability schemes, as well as an overview of the trends in the markets for specialty and sustainable coffees. Coffee niche markets provide opportunities for producers in developing countries to increase their incomes. This paper, drawn from ITC’s new book on the coffee trade,...

Coffee is the world's most important agricultural crop in terms of trade volumes; it is exported by 60 countries and is one of the few major commodities grown predominantly by smallholder farmers. This report: presents an overview of the market trends for coffee certified as ‘sustainable’ over...