Rural and Agriculture Finance
FS Share produced FS Series #8: Rural and Agricultural Finance for Food Security in order to provide U.S. government program designers with a tool to develop effective programming for integrating rural and agricultural finance (RAF) into USAID-supported food security strategies for vulnerable countries. The FS Series includes a primer, a diagnostic checklist, and a model scope of work. The suggested interventions have the objective of stimulating discussion and knowledge sharing on finance for food security and do not offer a definitive approach for U.S. government program designers.
The primer introduces, defines, and provides an overview and case examples of RAF for food security.
The diagnostic checklist is designed to assist U.S. government programmers with evaluating the preconditions and options available to integrate finance effectively to reduce food insecurity.
The model scope of work provides sample language for program designers and implementers.
This FS Series was developed by Anita Campion, Roberta van Haeften and Michelle Cassal of AZMJ, LLC and Chemonics International and reviewed by the FS Share project management team, as well as various U.S. government senior technical specialists.
Please find the above-mentioned documents as well as the resources and presentation on Rural and Agricultural Finance for Food Security below.
Anita Campion. An economic development specialist with more than 20 years experience in international finance and enterprise development, Anita Campion is President of AZMJ, an international consulting firm based in Alexandria, VA. Ms. Campion has advised on several rural and agricultural development projects for USAID, including recent work in Afghanistan and Congo, and other donors throughout the world. A dynamic trainer, she has designed and led numerous trainings, based on adult learning methodologies, including on agricultural value chain finance in Mali, and agricultural finance and warehouse receipts financing for USAID staff in D.C. For Chemonics International, she managed the Financial Sector BPA and Financial Services IQC, overseeing projects related to small and medium enterprise finance, leasing and bank restructuring, as well as prudential regulation and supervision of microfinance institutions. She also led research on agricultural value chain finance and designed training tools as Director of AMAP/Knowledge General project. As executive director, she transformed the MicroFinance Network into a leading policy institution by developing and promoting microfinance best practices. In Mali, she designed and led a program to expand micro and small enterprise development and finance, with an emphasis on expanding opportunities for women and youth. Known for her ability to develop capacity in others, she is an excellent intercultural facilitator, fluent in English, Spanish and French.
Roberta van Haeften. Roberta (Bobbie) van Haeften is an economist with over 30 years of experience working on economic development problems in the developing countries for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). She has traveled and worked extensively in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Major areas of experience include food and agricultural policy; food aid; food security and poverty analyses; market sector and market potential studies; trade analyses; project design and management; strategic planning; performance measurement, monitoring and evaluation. During the 1990s, she worked in USAID's Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Bureau, advising the Bureau, LAC missions and governments on food and agricultural policy, food aid and food security issues. This work included helping design food security strategies for Bolivia, Haiti and Peru and conducting food security assessments for Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Her more recent work, as an independent consultant, has included evaluations of the US Farmer to Farmer Program and Title II Development programs in Bolivia, Ethiopia and India and the design of food security programming strategies in Bangladesh, Malawi and Mozambique.
Michelle Cassal.An international development specialist with four years experience in private sector development, financial services, and project management. Supported the USAID funded El Salvador Financial Services project which assisted financial institutions to better serve the needs of SMEs in El Salvador. Conducted research and data gathering on access to savings in South East Asia for the Gates Foundation Access to Savings project. Supports technical and administrative implementation of the El Salvador Productive Development Project, a $21.5 million MCA funded project, working on six value chains, including vegetables, fruits and agro-industries in El Salvador. Country experience includes Bolivia, El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Ghana. Undergraduate degree in Finance with a master's degree in International Development focusing on Private Sector Development. Graduate level coursework included development economics and international finance.