Barbados – Strengthening MSME Evidence for Inclusive Economic Growth

The Barbados intervention focused on delivering updated research on the MSME sector to inform evidence-based policy and strengthen support for women-led businesses. This was critical in addressing data gaps on the impact of COVID-19, climate change, and gender dynamics, which had limited the ability of stakeholders to design responsive interventions for MSME growth.

• Provided targeted technical assistance to the Small Business Association (SBA) of Barbados to update national research on the MSME sector.
• Conducted a comprehensive technical study to re-establish the MSME baseline and enable comparison with 2015 data.
• Assessed GDP contribution, youth and women-led enterprises, and climate vulnerability within the MSME landscape.

• Delivered updated policy-relevant data and identified resilience challenges facing MSMEs.
• Produced recommendations for inclusive support, including improved access to finance, targeted support for nano-enterprises, and gender-sensitive programming.