The Agricultural and Rural Finance (FAR) training program continues

November 25th, 2020

November 9^th officially started the training in agricultural and rural finance (FAR), organized by CABFIN, FAO and ADA, supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg. Due to the health crisis related to Covid-19, the training initially planned in Luxembourg in face-to-face had to be adapted. The new formula thus proposes an introductory e-learning session, with courses and webinars over 4 weeks.

Following the great success of the first edition in Burkina Faso in 2019 and the strong need to strengthen the "agricultural" pillar of financial inclusion, the organizers decided this year to adapt the program to offer it in a digital version, without losing the effectiveness of the traditional version.

Massimo Pera, Value Chain and Rural Finance Project Coordinator, FAO (also FAR Program Pedagogical Advisor)

« I think this new online version of the training program is a perfect fit for the needs of the participants who will be taking the course, whether they are MFIs, banks, credit unions, technical support agencies/granters, etc.". The course essentially aims to provide elements of an answer to the following question: "How to respond to the needs of actors in agricultural value chains (farmers, smallholders and agro-SMEs), which have a great potential for growth, but which do not have access to adapted financial services". By merging an online and a face-to-face course, participants will have the opportunity to identify key issues and solutions that can help increase access to financial services for agriculture. »

Soulemane Djobo, Head of Technical Support to Microfinance Institutions at ADA (also pedagogical referent of the FAR program)

« The e-learning format chosen this year for the agricultural and rural finance (FAR) training because of Covid-19, aims at maintaining contact with stakeholders in the financing of agricultural sectors and value chains. The selected modules are structuring because they constitute the backbone of the fundamentals in agricultural financing. While waiting for the face-to-face format, the e-learning format is intended to be a continuous stream to draw the attention of financial intermediaries to the constant need to know the market and to manage the risks by using the digital channels which are increasing in power. »

In this first introductory part, participants have the opportunity to analyze, with professionals of the sector, the main trends and opportunities of the agricultural finance market, the new possibilities offered by digital finance and the importance of taking into account the value chains of agricultural products and its actors in the development of financial solutions. The training also addresses the issue of risk management, with a focus on agricultural insurance.

70 people from French-speaking Africa have been selected to participate in this first virtual edition. The most assiduous among them will also have the opportunity to participate in the second part of the training, which, if conditions permit, will take place in 2021 in face-to-face sessions.

Contact
If you are interested in participating in the next editions of the training, please do not hesitate to contact info@ada-microfinance.lu.
We draw your attention to the fact that the training is given in French only.