Systems needs to have built-in resilience, agility and equity to withstand wildcards like pandemics

and natural disasters in order to prevent any hindrance to sustainable development and have a long-
term multiplier effect on the community.

Based on experiential research, systems transformation takes place when certain critical elements
are present:

1. Resources-agnostic: Systems transformation for the long-term happens by co-designing the

end-state with key actors and altering the system from within instead of creating parallel
infrastructures externally
2. Roles: Power dynamics between actors in the system need to be altered and new players
should be brought in to build new structures and networked connections in the ecosystem
3. Relational values: Looking at insights into complex behavioural patterns of actors in the
system require a paradigm shift in mental models to using non-linear values like
interdependence, autonomy and collectivism as opposed to independence, individuality and
hierarchy

Organizations often focus on providing free resources like information, job opportunities, vaccines,
books and training to supplement the low capacity at both the institutional and community level.
However “donation” of such materials only enable lack of agency, ownership and accountability
among the beneficiaries. Creating parallel infrastructures that are often capital intensive and
dependent on external labour recruitment are seldom found to be sustainable. Giving free training
on marketing to Cambodia’s fishermen along the Mekong delta only led to larger unintended
consequences including the migration of farmers to Thailand and other countries looking for greener
pastures during the highly seasonal fishing periods. It was critical to build an ecosystem with
collaborative partnerships and an environment that enables self-sustaining support. We ran study
tours in reforesting, aquaculture and ecotourism to re-educate fishers to alternate livelihoods,
alleviate climate degradation and also linked them to manufacturers of fishmeal products.

Secondly systems transformation needs to be driven by fundamentally altering power dynamics and
relationships among the actors. Power can be altered among those who set and influence agenda
and roles need to be created or modified in order for power balances to exist. Working with India’s
local village to build stronger teaching capacity within schools post COVID pandemic only surfaced
deep-seated issues between the headmaster, teachers and the local government who were at odds
for more than 15 years and a school system with unethical protocol and governance including
inadequate and inaccurate testing and performance assessments of both students and teachers.
Unless these community tensions were eased, any form of evening or weekend classes outside of
schools proved to be insufficient and ineffective.

Lastly most programs are focused on driving systems transformation using structural changes in
policy, practices and resources. But deeper levels of systems change take place at the mental and
social norms levels that are often driven by culture and values. Working with Kenyan dairy farmers,
we had to change their mindset from that of farmers to small business owners to form a collective
and launch their first-ever dairy enterprise that eliminated their dependence on brokers who often
exploited them by under-pricing.