Mikael L. Clason Höök

Mikael L. Clason Höök
Mastercard Foundation Rural and Agricultural Finance Learning Lab

Mikael L. Clason Höök is the Director of the Mastercard Foundation Rural and Agricultural Finance Learning Lab, and is tasked with providing strategy support, engaging with partners, coordinating research and managing the lab’s day-to-day workstream. Höök is a development professional and entrepreneur with experience in agriculture, nutrition, private sector development, rural finance, renewable energy, technology for development, and fragile states.

Prior to joining the Learning Lab, Höök launched a successful business providing sustainable materials for the green building industry in New York, and a social enterprise providing solar solutions for humanitarian organizations in Africa. Previously, he led the design and implementation of an innovative World Bank survey to collect real-time social and economic data in South Sudan. Höök spent three years in Afghanistan with Chemonics International supporting USAID agriculture programs, where his work focused on developing value chain analysis for agriculture products; implementing a deal driven approach to agriculture development; and organizing trade fairs to promote Afghan exports.

Höök holds an M.P.A./I.D. from Harvard’s Kennedy School, where he was awarded the Public Service Fellowship.

Articles by Mikael L. Clason Höök

Monday
May 7
2018

Blaine Stephens / Mikael L. Clason Höök / Mike Warmington

Better Data for Better Products: New Online Resource Aims to Close the $200 Billion Smallholder Finance Gap

The US $200 billion gap in farmer finance is a tremendous opportunity – but it's one that financial service providers are missing, due to the lack of transparent and reliable data. That's why One Acre Fund and MIX, with support from the Mastercard Foundation's RAF Learning Lab, launched the Smallholder Finance Product Explorer. A May 8 webinar will show industry actors how to use some of these new online tools to reach the 450 million smallholders in need of financing.

Categories
Agriculture, Investing

Tags
Base of the Pyramid, business development, financial inclusion, impact investing, lending, smallholder farmers
Guest Articles

Monday
September 25
2017

Mikael L. Clason Höök / Malia Bachesta

On ‘World Food Day’: Using Fintech to Support Smallholder Farmers and Feed the World

More smallholder farmers are using digital tools to access funds to improve their farms. But with a whopping US $200 billion gap in financing, many cannot access the financing they need to invest in things like seeds, fertilizers and irrigation technologies to increase production and improve their livelihoods. Mikael L. Clason Höök and Malia Bachesta of the RAF Learning Lab highlight several innovative fintech companies that are addressing barriers faced by smallholder farmers.

Categories
Agriculture, Finance, Technology

Tags
Base of the Pyramid, financial inclusion, fintech, poverty alleviation, smallholder farmers

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