Melissa Schweisguth

Melissa Schweisguth is an inclusive market systems development and economic growth expert with more than sixteen years of experience in the international development and food and agriculture private sectors. She has focused extensively on designing programs, providing technical expertise for implementation, developing market systems approaches and guidance, and developing and delivering staff training.

Schweisguth leads Abt’s Inclusive Market Systems Approach, MSD+, and works to expand the use of market systems tactics across Abt’s various international development portfolios.  She collaborates extensively on new business and project designs for Abt’s inclusive economic growth portfolio with foci on agricultural market systems, livelihoods, and economic growth. Schweisguth also supports Abt’s new business efforts around climate change.

Prior to Abt, Schweisguth held market systems development technical leadership roles at USAID ACDI/VOCA, where she participated extensively in designing and procuring new activities, leading new business efforts, developing and delivering technical training, and drafting technical guidance. In the private sector, she managed and advised on social responsibility and sustainable sourcing programs in the food and chocolate sectors, including the Hershey Company. Her combined experience helps her foster and apply sustainable, market-led growth.

Expertise

• Market systems development
• Inclusive economic growth
• Private-sector engagement
• Sub-Saharan African region

Publications

• Integrating a Market Systems Approach in Programming. With Kristin O’Planick. USAID. 2022
• Including Wage Labor in Value Chain Analyses: A Guide. Melissa Schweisguth, Sam Bbosa. 2016. USAID