Episode 7: The Road to Financial Inclusion in Kenya

Can researchers help develop a financial tool that lowers risk for both farmers and private banks? This episode features IFPRI Senior Research Fellow Liangzhi You who, in a conversation with Sivan Yosef, tells the story of how IFPRI researchers partnered up with the Government of Kenya as well as private-sector partners in Kenya to develop Risk Contingent Credit (RCC). RCC is a financial inclusion product that allows farmers to get loans for much-needed agricultural supplies, but it also uses insurance to guarantee that banks will be repaid, even during production shocks such as catastrophic drought. It highlights the potential role of the private sector in scaling up solutions for the poor. To learn more: Website: https://www.ifpri.org/project/satellite-technologies-innovative-and-smart-financing-food-security-satisfy Blog Post: https://www.ifpri.org/blog/gaining-better-understanding-local-fertilizer-prices-african-smallholder-farmers Related publication: https://www.ifpri.org/publication/design-and-rating-risk-contingent-credit-balancing-business-and-financial-risks-kenyan Interviewee: Liangzhi You Interviewer: Sivan Yosef Producer: Sivan Yosef Editor: Jennifer Weingart Promotions: Drew Sample