Market Systems Resilience in Practice: Lessons Learned and Next Steps 

Join a panel of market systems resilience practitioners for a discussion on how a resilience lens has shaped market programming, a recap of resilience discussions at the Market Systems Symposium in November, and their thoughts on what’s next for the field.

Meet the Hosts

Dan Hudner is a Senior Researcher for Markets and Resilience at Mercy Corps, where his research focuses on the intersection of systems, communities, and individuals. With support from USAID’s REAL 2 Award, he has worked with programs in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Jordan, and Lebanon to plan research on market systems resilience measurement. He is particularly interested in navigating the tricky space between creating measurement approaches and analyses that are timely and concrete enough to be actionable for program teams, while still keeping a cautious eye on long-term systemic changes and emerging risks.

Dan holds a Masters in International Economics and Development from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Before working with Mercy Corps, he managed impact evaluations of resilience, conflict management, and WASH programming at Social Impact and Causal Design.

Kwaji Barka Peter works on the Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity as Resilience Advisor, supporting technically on strengthening market systems and climate change resilience in northeast Nigeria. He has worked extensively across rural livelihoods, farmer’s business school, resilience, climate adaptation, and food security and nutrition projects with different humanitarian and development organizations in northeast Nigeria. Barka’s dedication extends to continuous empowerment of women, youth, and vulnerable populations for a resilient and prosperous world. 

Skilled and experienced in the fields of resilience, climate change, agribusiness, and agri-food systems, Barka holds an MBA in International Agribusiness and Food Chain Management and a Master of Technology degree in Fisheries Management, Aquaculture, and Natural Resources Management from Lead City University and Modibbo Adama University of Technology.

Meet the Speakers

Kristin O'Planick is the Market Systems Team Lead in USAID's Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security where she seeks to advance market systems facilitation throughout the Feed the Future portfolio. She also manages the Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships Activity and the Climate Finance for Development Accelerator. With more than two decades of international development experience across all geographic regions, Kristin has worked in a variety of technical areas including market systems, enterprise and livelihoods development, workforce, food security, youth employment, entrepreneurship, agribusiness, rural finance, and sustainable tourism. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea. Kristin earned an MBA with distinction from the Johnson School at Cornell University.

Margie Brand is the initiator and director of Vikāra Institute, formerly EcoVentures International, an organization specializing in applying systems lenses to development challenges. She is South African and is currently based between Washington D.C. and Cape Town, South Africa. Margie supports development practitioners and donors in strategic planning and facilitation, intervention design and implementation, and capacity building and training. Margie has developed curricula and tools that have been translated into over 15 languages and used in over 35 countries. These span practice areas such as market systems development, market systems resilience, value chain development, enterprise, microfinance, and entrepreneurship development. Margie has worked in over 20 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Eastern Europe, with a focus on her home continent of Africa. She has authored several papers and presented to audiences across the globe. 

Michael Field has over 30 years of designing, assessing, implementing and training on systems thinking approaches to market, housing, educational, health and enabling environment challenges. Through his work, Mr. Field has played a key role in setting learning and research agendas, as well as improving practice in the field of applied systems-thinking approaches to international development. He is currently a Systems Thinking Specialist at Vikāra Institute where he continues to provide guidance on applying systems lenses to challenging social and market contexts internationally. 

John Rachkara serves as the Chief of Party for the USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity. He leads a strong team that aims to establish enduring solutions for chronic vulnerability and poverty by enhancing opportunities in Northeast Nigeria. With 14 years of experience in East and West Africa, John is committed to improving livelihoods and building economic resilience in challenging environments. His expertise spans various markets, including commodities, services, agriculture, and both urban and rural settings. 

William Baron is Chief of Party for Mercy Corps’ Resilience in Pastoral Areas – North (RIPA-North) program, a $35 million Feed the Future-funded Activity aiming to enhance resilience for households in the pastoral lowlands of Ethiopia. William has more than 17 years’ professional experience in international development, working in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. William is passionate about systemic approaches to development, with extensive experience in the design and implementation of market systems development (MSD), resilience, conflict-sensitivity/peacebuilding, and governance programming.