Learning

Agricultural Value Chain Finance

Course Description

This course on AgVCF provides an understanding of the gaps and challenges of agriculture finance. It defines AgVCF, different business models, and the available instruments for accessing financial services. Furthermore, it examines the risk mitigation tools with innovative methodologies and systems that have worked in services development. The provision of credit and general financial services to all the actors in the AgVC in developing countries, although high in demand, has not been widespread due to lack of extension of knowledge and appropriate financial instruments. In this course, the participants will learn to analyse the products and their delivery mechanisms with the risk mitigation tools to serve the actors of the entire AgVC.

The course takes a case study approach to analyse what works and what does not in the context of AgVCF. Facilitators will provide an overview of each topic and highlight the issues through an examination of case studies. Participants will be encouraged to share their own experiences and facilitate the discussions throughout the course.

Objectives

To sharpen the awareness of the fundamental issues of financing agriculture and agribusiness using an AgVCF approach and to build the skill set required in designing the instruments and delivering innovative services for all actors in the AgVC.

Prerequisites

The participants should have a basic understanding of financial services, such as agriculture finance, rural finance, microfinance, development finance, banking and/or rural economic development. Some knowledge of agricultural market development services and agribusiness would be helpful.

Audience / Participants

The intended course participants for the training include: agricultural finance officers from different banks and financial institutions, government and non-government development agencies, micro-finance institutions (MFIs), donors who advise in and work with agriculture finance, and faculty staff and students of universities specializing in agriculture/rural finance.