SEEP Annual Conference 2013Partnerships and Cross-Sector Approaches

Panel Debate on Financial Services

for Smallholder Farmers

Robert Fries, ACDI/VOCAGulbahor Makhkmova, IMON International

Calvin Miller, FAOMichael Tarazi, CGAP, moderator

4%

31%

32%

20%

13%

According to a 2008 Zambian study of smallholder farmers (less than 2 hectares), the percentage of household revenue from agriculture is…

1. 23.7%

2. 48.2%

3. 68.5%

4. 84.9%

5. Oh God, this so boring

N = 100

0%

10%

50%

40%

According to a 2011 study, the main financial objective of smallholder farmers is to make income from harvest last throughout the year. Key obstacle is…

1. Lack of formal or informal savings products.

2. Harvest not large enough -not enough income to last throughout the year.

3. Lack of famer self discipline.

4. This is just not a problem that interests me.

N = 101

3%

41%

19%

21%

15%

The percentage of smallholder farmers in Tanzania who consider themselves “trapped” is. . . (Dalberg)

1. 19%

2. 29%

3. 39%

4. 49%

5. Please stop bothering me – I’m checking e-mail.

N = 119

12%

47%

34%

7%

What is the best way to financially include the underserved majority of the world’s 500 million smallholder families?

Cross-tab label

1. Use technology (such as mobile telephones) to drive down transaction costs

2. Connecting smallholders to markets through value chain financing

3. Gathering a more thorough evidence base on the nature of demand: the financial services needs, behaviors and preferences of target clients

4. Other

N = 116