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Solving the Credit Impasse: How Big Data and AI are Generating Funding Opportunities for Smallholder Farmers in Africa
Smallholder farmers provide over 80% of the food in much of the developing world, making a major contribution to poverty reduction and food security. Yet as Iftin Fatah at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation points out, in Africa, less than 3% of total bank lending goes to the sector – even though it accounts for about 70% of all employment and over 40% of GDP. She explores some innovative, tech-driven solutions to this perennial problem.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
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Facebook in Talks Over Mobile Money in Indonesia
Three e-wallet operators interested in working with Facebook Pay to tap into massive Southeast Asian market.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- digital finance, fintech
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Coronavirus Could Spark Demand for E-Wallets, Digital Banks in LatAm
The coronavirus outbreak could drive financial inclusion in Latin America, as governments look for agile partners to distribute state aid and large segments of the informal economy grapple with restricted access to cash.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Region
- Latin America
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In Africa, COVID-19 Crisis Puts Squeeze on Millions Who Rely on Remittances
Remittances amount to 5% of GDP in at least 13 African countries. For some, like tiny Lesotho, they amount to 23% of its annual income. With stay-at-home orders throwing millions out of work in Western countries, millions of Africans are feeling the pinch.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- fintech, remittances
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Brazil Undertakes Massive Tech-Enabled Financial Inclusion Exercise With “Coronavoucher”
Millions of unbanked citizens are receiving the government's emergency financial aid through a mobile app.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Technology
- Region
- Latin America
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Viewpoint: Let FinTech Help Jumpstart The Economy
There is no doubt that the $2.2 trillion U.S. government stimulus package in the form of The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) will help deal with at least some of the economic consequences resulting from this pandemic crisis. The package includes unemployment benefits, loans to small businesses, $1,200 direct payments to individuals and a $500 billion Federal initiative to corporations. But there are several challenging issues with the administration of the CARES Act with which FinTech companies could prove extremely helpful, if given the opportunity to help.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Region
- North America
- Tags
- fintech, public policy
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Report: Over 500 Million Mobile-Money Users Expected in Africa in 2020
With 50 million new accounts created on the continent in 2019 and a 12% increase in registered users, Africa is by far the leading continent for mobile-money services. However, growth is uneven from one region to another.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Safaricom, Vodacom Acquire M-PESA Payments Platform
“Our joint venture will allow Vodacom and Safaricom to drive the next generation of the M-PESA platform, an intelligent, cloud-based platform for the smartphone age. It will also help us to promote greater financial inclusion and help bridge the digital divide within the communities in which we operate.”
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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