Dear RFILC members,

We introduce our first autumn newsletter and we invite you to visit our newly populated Investment pillar section. As always, you ideas, events, news and publications are more than welcome and can be sent by email (info@ruralfinanceandinvestment.org) or submitted directly at the RFILC website as “suggested resource” at RFILC submissions.

This month emphasize is on the Platform of Inclusive Finance (NpM) report entitled “Finance for Smallholders: Opportunities for risk management by linking financial institutions and producer organisations”. It presents a map of practices from the 14 case studies and learn from good and innovative practices. The aim of the study is to improve the approach of NpM/AgriProFocus (APF) and the members of both networks in their efforts to facilitate access to finance for smallholders. These case studies showed that collaboration with farmers’ organizations, cooperatives or informal farmer groups is crucial to sustainably create access to finance for smallholders. At the end, the report provides recommendations on how can best practices and guidelines can be incorporated into organizations that are members of NpM, APF and e-MFP.

Second highlight is the CGAP paper “A Market Systems Approach to Financial Inclusion: Guidelines for Funders”, which makes a part of a series of targeted resources for funders of financial inclusion and builds on research from all CGAP initiatives, their collective experience and suggest a new approach to supporting financial inclusion. This document is the suc­cessor to the Good Practice Guidelines for Funders of Microfinance (2006), and contin­ues to provide emerging lessons on how funders can facilitate the development of inclu­sive financial services markets.

Finally, we are happy to share the news that, in early September, G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) brought together policymakers, financial service providers and researchers to discuss key trends and gaps in agricultural finance.  The Agricultural Finance Roundtable, which included international experts from academia and development organizations, featured discussion around key emerging issues such as: What are new successful approaches to value chain finance? What are the opportunities for financial institutions to target women in the agriculture sector? Is index insurance viable for smallholder farmers in emerging countries? Do we really understand the needs of smallholder farmers? How to exploit the potential of technological advances? The G20 Agricultural Finance Roundtable was organized in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), BMZ, GIZ and SME Finance Forum. The outcomes of the roundtable will form a G20 synthesis report on new trends and innovations in agricultural finance. For the entire article, click here.

With best regards,

The RFILC editorial team