“Finance for Smallholders: Opportunities for Risk Management by Linking Financial Institutions and Producer Organisations;” by J de la Rive Box et al; published by the Food & Business Knowledge Platform, Agri Pro Focus and the Platform for Inclusive Finance NPM; May 2016; 22 pages; available at: http://www.inclusivefinanceplatform.nl/documents/npm%20summary%20report%20finance%20for%20smallholders.pdf
Category: Trends/Challenges
MICROFINANCE EVENT: XIX Foromic, October 24-26, 2016, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Event Name: XIX Foromic 2016
Event Dates: October 24-26, 2016
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Cambodia’s Prasac Microfinance Introduces Mobile Banking Services Through Compass Plus’s TranzWare
Cambodia’s Prasac Microfinance Institution Limited recently launched a suite of mobile banking services using the TranzWare processing platform from Compass Plus, an electronic payment systems provider with primary offices located in Russia and the United Kingdom.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: VisionFund Selects BankBI’s Cloud-Based Software to Manage Microfinance Institutions in 32 Countries
VisionFund International, the microfinance arm of US-based NGO World Vision, recently selected UK-based BankBI Limited’s business intelligence and analytics software to manage its operations in 32 countries.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Invest $80m in Acquiring Data on Progress, Barriers to Success of Women, Girls
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in the United States, recently announced that it will commit USD 80 million over three years to improve the availability and reliability of data on women and girls including: (i) how much time they spend on unpaid work; (ii) information on the efficacy of programs and other interventions; and (iii) how successful political leaders are in supporting gender equality.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Smart Communications, ICMFI to Offer Mobile Banking Accounts in Iloilo, Philippines
Smart Communications Incorporated, a mobile services subsidiary of publicly traded PLDT Incorporated (formerly the Philippines Long Distance Telephone Company), has partnered with the Philippine nonprofit International Care Ministries Foundation (ICMFI) to provide Smart Communications’ “SMART Money” mobile banking accounts to members of the Pototan community in Iloilo province.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: AlHuda CIBE, Akhuwat to Host Sixth Global Islamic Microfinance Forum, November 8-11, 2016, Nairobi, Kenya
Event Name: Sixth Global Islamic Microfinance Forum: “Financial Inclusion, Outreach Strategies and Innovations”
Event Dates: Conference: November 8-9, 2016; Post-Conference Workshop: November 10-11, 2016
Event Location: Nairobi, Kenya
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Green for Growth Fund to Loan $2.2m to Microfinance Institution Alter Modus of Montenegro for Energy Efficiency for Housing, Business
The Green for Growth Fund (GGF), a Luxembourg-based investment vehicle that supports energy-efficiency (EE) initiatives in Southeast Europe, recently announced that it will invest EUR 2 million (USD 2.2 million) in debt in Alter Modus, a Montenegro-based microfinance institution (MFI).
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: India’s Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), MicroSave Launch Financial Education Pilot Program for Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
The Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), a program of the local government’s Rural Development Department, and MicroSave, a financial inclusion consulting firm headquartered in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, recently launched a financial education pilot program in the Bero, Khuntipani and Manoharpur blocks of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: SBP Increases Transaction Limits, Bolsters Alternate Channels to Boost Branchless Banking in Pakistan
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) recently announced reforms to the country’s branchless banking regulations in an effort to further the bank’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS), launched in May 2015 seeking to deliver financial services to 50 percent of the adult population in Pakistan by 2020.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Tigo Tanzania Distributes $2.5m in Profit to Customers, Agents of Digital Payment Platform Tigo Pesa
Tigo Tanzania, a brand of Swedish telecom provider Millicom, recently announced it paid TZS 5.6 billion (USD 2.5 million) of its profits to Tigo Pesa users.
MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Household Responses to Village Bank Access in Laos; Mobile Banking in Kenya; The Role of Banks in Driving Financial Inclusion
“Household Responses to Access to Finance Through GIZ-AFP Village Banks;” published by the Laos-Australia Development Learning Facility; February 2016; 50 pages; available at: http://ladlf.org/images/publications/030516_LADLF_GIZ_HH_Response_to_A2F_Final.pdf
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Controversy Brews as For-Profit Fintech Provider MyBucks Buys 6 African Microfinance Organizations from Nonprofit Opportunity International
The sale of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda over the first half of 2016 by US-based NGO Opportunity International to Luxembourg-based financial technology company MyBucks has raised concerns both that these MFIs’ clients could be negatively impacted and that these transactions signal that the sector’s overall direction has shifted toward profit-making.
SPECIAL REPORT: Rural Outreach and Innovation Action Group of the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP)
Marina Kortenbusch, who serves as the Head of the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP’s) Rural Outreach and Innovation (ROI) Action Group, is the Managing Partner of Switzerland’s Business and Finance Consulting. Josien Sluijs is an e-MFP board member and Director of the Netherlands’ Platform for Inclusive Finance, which is also a member of the ROI Action Group.
MicroCapital: Why is it important to serve rural markets?
Marina Kortenbusch: In most emerging economies, the rural sector employs a large share of the working population. Developing rural markets is an effective way to boost prosperity by increasing the incomes of individuals whilst also contributing to food security, reducing environmental impact and increasing exports.
MC: What are some key differences between rural and urban markets?
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: 2016 CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) Photo Contest Accepting Entries Through September 7, 2016
CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), a US-based, nonprofit policy and research center that aims to facilitate the expansion of financial access, is seeking
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bâtisseur de Richesse (BR SARL) Among 50 Microfinance Institutions Closed in Gabon, David Mapakou Arrested For Alleged Savings Fraud
The Ministry of Economy of Gabon recently froze the activities of 50 microfinance institutions that lacked approval to offer microfinance services.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: KCB Bank, GoSwiff Roll Out Mobile Payments Solution in Rwanda
Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), a Kenya-based publicly traded financial services company, and GoSwiff, a Singapore-based payment facilitation firm, recently rolled out a mobile payment solution for merchants in Rwanda.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: FMO, ABN Amro, Privium Open FMO Privium Impact Fund to Invest in Job Creation, Environmental Efforts in Emerging Markets
Three Dutch institutions, development bank Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden (FMO), Algemene Bank Nederland (ABN) Amro, and fund manager Privium, recently announced the opening of the FMO Privium Impact Fund.