Event

01- 31
May
The African Microfinance Week 2015
Conference

Sunday, March 1, 2015 to Sunday, May 31, 2015

Due to the travel restrictions in some West Africa countries affected by the Ebola virus, the organisers of the SAM have decided to postpone this year’s event. As the main objective of the SAM is to gather representatives of all African countries, the organizers feel it necessary to postpone the conference to ensure maximum attendance in Ouagadougou.

The conference is now scheduled to take place during the second quarter of 2015. The situation is being closely monitored and we hope to announce an exact date for the event soon.

The second edition of the SAM (African Microfinance Week) will be focusing on solutions to accelerate innovative financing in rural Africa as well as the challenges of rural exodus, food production and distribution, climate change and environmental protection.

ACCELERATING INNOVATIVE RURAL FINANCE IN AFRICA

Business models and initiatives to develop family farms and promote investment in rural areas

The conference will present innovative projects that have served the needs of rural smallholders and that are in line with the two following themes:

1. Business model for the development of family farms

How to move from small family farm to agriculture SME?

– fair trade
– cooperative models
– social business
– youth and women entrepreneurship
– innovations in the agriculture value chain
 

Innovations in the offer of financial products and other services

– migrants remittances
– housing credit
– leasing
– warrantage credit
– financial education
– new distribution channels

New technologies to serve new business models

– mobile banking and info-exchange
– access to green energies (green microfinance)
– access to water for agriculture
– rural internet
– interconnectivity
 

2. Initiatives to promote investment in rural areas

– tax system to promote agricultural and rural investment
– agricultural insurance and microinsurance mechanisms
– impact investing and social development bonds
– guarantee fund
– incentives to collect rural populations’ savings
– crowdfunding
– PPP (Private-Public Partnership)
– regulatory framework (land ownership, enforcement)
– initiatives to better measure impact and to promote transparency for rural investments
– mechanisms of private and public grants
– financing agribusiness

The agenda of the conference will be focused on these different questions and themes, whilst prioritising concrete examples of initiatives carried out on the continent.