access to finance

This article compares farmer knowledge of the requirements to obtain finance with the actual requirements set by different finance provider types. This can provide valuable insights to policy makers about ways to improve farmers’ access to finance.  »

This paper presents young people’s experiences of growing up in Ghana’s cocoa belt, and identifies key barriers to their involvement in the sector and highlights opportunities to promote their participation in cocoa farming. Based on findings from focus group discussions with youth aged 15-25 in the cocoa-growing belt and from key informant interviews, the key issues raised are access to land, finance, and skills development, as well as perceptions of the cocoa sector, particularly among women.  »

This report was prepared as an input to discussions on rural youth employment in the G20 Development Working Group. This focus on rural youth employment is essential, since youth are more likely than adults to be unemployed and a large share of youth live in rural areas. »

This article emphasizes the importance and benefits of the inclusion of women in livestock development. The author argues that the frequent exclusion of women from livestock ownership, resources and decision-making is a major factor in hindering households from escaping poverty. »

This learning document describes the outcomes of a gender analysis of women’s economic empowerment in Kenya. Recommendations from the programme were, among others: reduce women’s time spent on domestic chores; invest in group enterprises to bring credit within reach of women; encourage male engagement in women empowerment; and utilize technology and innovative methods to improve women’s access to information on pricing and markets.  »

This blog explores opportunities for women in agriculture by means of two national surveys of smallholder households in Mozambique and Tanzania. These suggest that women face several barriers, which may prevent them from diversifying their sources of income both within and away from agriculture. »