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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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Viewpoint: Nigeria Needs to Close the Financial Inclusion Gap for Women Smallholder Farmers
Women smallholder farmers in Nigeria are involved in all aspects of agriculture. Yet, because they are women, they are held back by unequal access to resources that would help them become more successful.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Optimizing Online Auctions: How Technology Can Help to Alleviate Poverty among Smallholder Farmers, One Bid at a Time
World Bank data shows that 78% of the world’s poorest people are farmers. A critical challenge they face is the lack of infrastructure to improve their market access, price transparency and competitive position in relation to more powerful downstream buyers. Yanchong Zheng at the MIT Sloan School of Management explores a digital auction platform in India that's addressing this power imbalance – and shares some ways it can be optimized for the benefit of farmers.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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Saving Your Coffee and Avocado Toast: How Strategic Partnerships Can Build Smallholders’ Resilience to Climate Change
The climate crisis has spawned a new internet trend, as headlines like “America’s Favorite Fruit Could Go Extinct” spark panic in readers. And it’s true that the warming climate could affect the future supply of produce and other foods – but it's creating even more drastic problems for smallholder farmers. Camila Kauer Garcia at Fintrac explores initiatives that are helping farmers become more resilient to climate change, allowing consumers to confidently enjoy their favorite foods.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment
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Press Release: Global Partnerships and Acceso El Salvador Announce New Partnership to Further Improve the Opportunities and Incomes of Salvadoran Smallholder Farmers and Fishers Through Expanding Into High-Value Processing
Global Partnerships Social Investment Fund 6.0 issued a $750,000 USD loan to Acceso Oferta Local – Productos de El Salvador (“Acceso El Salvador”). Acceso El Salvador is the leading local agribusiness working with smallholder farmers and fishers to boost agricultural productivity, create job opportunities, and cement long-term market linkages.
- Source
- Press Release
- Categories
- Agriculture, Investing
- Region
- Latin America
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GAIN and Incofin Investment Management Announce New Collaboration to Unlock the Potential of SMEs to Improve Diets and Nutrition in Africa
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Incofin Investment Management (Incofin IM) have announced a new collaboration to take forward and manage the newly established Nutritious Food Financing Facility (N3F).
- Categories
- Agriculture
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Women Feeding Africa: Innovative Business Solutions to Close the Gender Gap in Agricultural Productivity
Women quite literally feed sub-Saharan Africa: They make up 50% of its agricultural labor force and contribute 60-80% of its food. Yet they also face unique constraints that limit their productivity and reduce their returns. What would happen if women could access the same productivity resources as men? Agnes Makena and Racheal Wangari at Intellecap explore that question, highlighting enterprises and initiatives with innovative solutions to support Africa’s female farmers.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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Liberia’s Miracle Oil Brings Farmers Only Empty Promises
“We embraced the company because we wanted development,” he says, remembering the promises of schools and clinics if local people gave up land. “We were expecting education for our children, employment, healthcare.”
- Categories
- Agriculture
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa