Driving Inclusive Economic Growth
At Access Development Services, Vipin Sharma promotes innovative livelihood models, transforming rural economies and empowering marginalised communities.
For nearly two decades, Vipin Sharma has focussed on driving innovative livelihood solutions for low-income communities across India. As the founding CEO of Access Development Services, Sharma has dedicated himself to transforming lives by promoting sustainable livelihoods in both the farm and non-farm sectors. His work shows the power of long-term community engagement in achieving lasting impact.
Sharma’s career spans over 40 years, beginning with the Reserve Bank of India and extending through senior roles in Nabard, Care India and the Rajasthan government’s Rural Non-Farm Development Agency. In 2006, he founded Access Development Services to directly address the livelihood challenges marginalised communities face. “Our goal is to move communities from subsistence to sustainability through innovative and composite models,” Sharma explains.
Livelihood Promotion
Under his leadership, Access has implemented over 85 projects across 14 states, impacting more than 410,000 low-income households. The organisation’s initiatives include promoting farmer-producer organisations (FPOs), empowering women entrepreneurs and fostering social enterprises that drive economic growth in rural and semi-urban areas. Securing long-term funding has been a persistent challenge for Access. “Many of our efforts require extended engagement, but donors often prefer shorter commitments,” Sharma notes. Access has diversified its funding sources to address this, partnering with government bodies, international foundations and corporate CSR initiatives. Key supporters include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Walmart Foundation and Nabard. Attracting and retaining high-quality human resources has been another hurdle. “Building an organisational culture that attracts top professionals is an ongoing priority,” Sharma adds. These efforts have positioned Access as a thought leader in the livelihoods space, with initiatives like the Livelihoods India Summit and Inclusive Finance India Report shaping national discourse.
Transformative Impact
In Odisha, the state government invited Access to manage the Chief Minister’s Maize Mission, which benefits over two million maize farmers. Additionally, the organisation’s work in financial inclusion has reached global recognition, with its Global Inclusive Finance Summit now in its 21st year.
Sharma expects a sharper focus on women’s economic empowerment and the promotion of non-farm livelihoods. “Women-led development is the cornerstone of our new thrust,” Sharma says. Access also aims to impact two million households by 2030 by partnering with state agencies as a techno-managerial partner.
