Scaling up local development initiatives are important for achieving the MDGs and human development. While significant progress has been made towards meeting the MDG targets globally, large disparities still persist within countries. Poverty remains concentrated in rural areas and urban slums, and the vulnerable and marginalized groups and communities, including women and girls, continue to suffer from an exclusion from development benefits, deprived of assets, opportunities and capabilities.

Participatory and community driven interventions across different development contexts demonstrate that MDGs are achievable even in the most challenging
contexts. However these successful initiatives that draw on breakthrough innovations, including ‘low carbon’ methods, are not being scaled up.

Scaling up entails deepening of a development impact, reaching out to those ‘left behind’ and ensuring the sustainability and adaptability of results. It is not just about replicating successes to cover larger groups or populations.