Rural Finance and Investment Insights: December

Note from the editor

As the final days for this year draw to a close, we realize it has been another time of great reflection for us all. The year 2021 was another difficult one for many. These circumstances highlight the critical need for the financial sector to contribute to social justice.

While we continue to navigate these challenging times, it is essential for us to strengthen our commitment to being champions in inclusion, equality and diversity when providing financial services. The joint efforts made by practitioners, policymakers, academics, and development agencies in Rural and Agricultural Finance means that we can continue growing and flourishing as a community.

As we look ahead, we have challenging but essential work to do to carry out our commitment to these principles. Like all enterprises worldwide, to enforce our mission and achieve our objectives, we need to adapt and find new norms of operating. This Newsletter introduces some of the innovative schemes to help our readers. We hope that, as we move forward, the darkness will begin to fade, new opportunities will emerge as 2022 progresses, and we can build upon the innovations that were developed out of necessity. We hope you enjoy the read and wish all of you the very best for the holiday. We look forward to welcoming you all back, relaxed and refreshed for what promises to be a productive year.

Impact evaluation of credit guarantee schemes in agriculture: Methodology and guidelines

This working paper has been developed to assist in overcoming the current gap in empirical data on the impact of agricultural PCGS, by providing interested readers with key information on technical and operational aspects of impact evaluations of credit guarantee schemes in agriculture, as well as recommendations on the feasibility of carrying out such evaluations with the aim of generating evidence on a more systematic basis.

Financing innovation for sustainable fisheries with the private sector

The webinar presented preliminary study findings from a baseline survey of small-scale fishers, fisherfolk organizations and financial service providers in Thailand. A recently designed financial product from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) supporting fisheries entrepreneurship development, with an emphasis on addressing the needs of small-scale fishers (SSFs) was also discussed. Please read more on the summary and webinar recording below.

The Impact of Mobile Money Taxation in Uganda

The study assesses the effects of the Mobile Money withdrawal tax on consumer behaviour and digital financial inclusion in Uganda. The result indicates that the introduction of the tax seems to have led to many users migrating to agent banking, where no comparable taxes are applied to withdrawals. At the same time, people with lower incomes tend to have less access to agent banking, indicating that the burden of this tax does fall disproportionately on the poor.

Agricultural MSME Financing in Uganda: A Response to COVID-19

This case study looks at the current state of financing for the agricultural sector in Uganda, highlighting the initiatives being taken to overcome the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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How Fintech Is Unbundling Banking And What That Means For Financial Inclusion