The ILO PROSPECTS programmehas launched its Approach to Inclusive Market Systems (AIMS) training programme in Jordan, to help 25 business experts design more sustainable, market-driven livelihood interventions for refugees and host communities on the ground.
The AIMS approach analyzes subsectors and value chains to promote inclusive growth and employment, addressing bottlenecks and imbalances to support sustainable development. It identifies key issues and tailors solutions that align stakeholder incentives, creating win-win outcomes and driving systemic change.
Developed in partnership with UNHCR since 2013, AIMS applies a market systems development approach to address underlying challenges in the economic environment, rather than delivering direct aid.
"Building on Phase I, the second phase of the project aims to enhance employment and livelihood interventions for Syrian refugees and Jordanians through a greener, market-driven approach," said Dahlia Tawhid Roque, ILO PROSPECTS Jordan Project Manager. "In 2022, we carried out a value chain analysis in the agricultural sector, revealing a strong need for local experts skilled in AIMS. These experts will update and finalize market systems analyses, guiding Phase 2 activities and improving opportunities for both refugees and host communities."
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The training is divided into two parts. A one week face-to-face training in Amman covers theoretical sessions, case studies, and practical exercises on AIMS. Participants will work in groups, conduct primary research, and receive tutoring and personalized feedback from the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO). The fieldwork assignment will then be completed in six weeks.
"This training programme provides a comprehensive understanding of Jordan's market and how to make it inclusive and sustainable," said Mohammad Al Qaisi, Project Manager in Green Economy at the Jordan Business Development Center. "We learned how to analyze value chains, conduct proper market system analyses, and design impactful interventions. I plan to apply this knowledge to refine the initiatives I'm working on, ensuring their feasibility and sustainability."
AIMS' "push-pull approach" involves two interconnected strategies. Push interventions focus on building target groups' skills and capacity through training, social networks, and asset transfers. Pull interventions aim to improve sectors and value chains, creating market opportunities for all.
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The training equips participants to design livelihood interventions based on market trends and demand, blending expert insights with hands-on learning through group activities, presentations, mapping exercises, and case studies.
Top of Form"I joined the AIMS training for its interesting theoretical and practical perspectives," said Diala Al Alami, consultant Project Manager, and one of the participants. "This innovative and dynamic course structure is helping me gain insights and exchange knowledge with others. AIMS supports value sectors and chains, contributing to overall development. This certification will enable me to provide more effective support to others in their value chains."
Jordan hosts over 760,000 UNHCR-registered refugees, including 658,000 Syrians, most of whom live in urban areas, placing significant pressure on the country's resources and services. The Syrian crisis has further strained Jordan's fragile economy, resulting in an estimated annual GDP loss of one percent.
PROSPECTS is a global partnership that aims to improve the access of host communities and forcibly displaced people to education, social protection and decent work. Spearheaded by the Government of the Netherlands, it brings together the International Finance Corporation, the International Labour Organization, the UN Refugee Agency, the UN Children's Fund and the World Bank to help transform the way in which governments and other stakeholders, including the private sector, respond to forced displacement crises.
