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Zombie Stats are Running Rampant in the Agrifood Sector: Why They’re Dangerous, and How We Can Stop Them
“Up to 70% of the labor involved in coffee farming is supplied by women.” You may have seen this widely used statistic in articles and reports — perhaps you've even cited it yourself. But this number is based on old and extremely flimsy evidence, and as Cait Nordehn at TechnoServe argues, it highlights a troubling issue in the agrifood and broader global development sectors: the ongoing use of “zombie stats” — outdated, inaccurate or incomplete statistics that simply will not die. She explores why this problem has persisted, and how it can be addressed.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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Analysis: Systems Change Isn’t One Thing. Financing Should Reflect That
From experimentation to redesign to optimization, the interconnected processes by which systems are changed require distinct forms of funding.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Global
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Statement from Mandy Rambharos, CEO, on Restructuring Verra
Amid ongoing market volatility, this reduction allows for energy and resources to be directed towards the programs and services that matter most.
- Region
- Global
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Press Release: DFC Announces Its Largest Wind Energy Investment
DFC financing will support the development, construction, and operation of nine wind power plants.
- Categories
- Energy, Technology
- Region
- Europe & Eurasia
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Press Release: European Development Finance Institutions Sign Landmark Separate Affiliate Partnerships With DFC and FinDev Canada
Set for a one-year period, the affiliate partnerships will aim to bolster the global reach of US, Canadian and European Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).
- Region
- Global
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Melinda French Gates Announces Open Call for $250 Million Fund. Here’s Who Can Apply.
French Gates invited organizations working on women’s mental and physical health to apply.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Global
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An Under-Recognized Obstacle to Solar Access in Africa: The Impact of Foreign Exchange Risk — And How to Mitigate It
Solar energy businesses are rapidly gaining traction in Africa, driving economic growth, improving living standards and supporting the transition to a low-carbon future. But Yariv Cohen at Ignite Power highlights an under-recognized barrier facing the sector: foreign exchange risks. He explores the impacts that volatile exchange rates can have on two common types of solar projects in Africa, and shares some of the strategies that have emerged to mitigate these risks.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing, Technology
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Funding the Fight Against the World’s Oldest Fuel Source: How New Financing Mechanisms in Clean Cooking Can Succeed Where Grants Have Failed
The use of biomass fuel for cooking has remained consistent over the centuries, despite the development sector's efforts to scale global access to clean cookstoves. As Paul Ronalds at Save the Children Global Ventures argues, a key reason for this failure is the estimated $5.5 billion annual funding gap facing clean cooking initiatives — a gap that traditional sources of finance, like private donations and government grants, have been unable to fill. He discusses several funding solutions, including carbon credits, that could help the clean cooking sector finally end the era of biomass fuel.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing, Technology
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