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Weekly Roundup – 7/19/14: Can’t we all just get along?
In a week marked by conflict and tragedy on the global stage, the financial world experienced its share of both. And though this was balanced with a fair amount of good news, even the positive developments sparked discord. We explore these issues in this weekly roundup.
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What the IMF Mandate Means for the Poor: The organization says it’s focused on narrowing the income gap – but will this affect policy?
The International Monetary Fund is known for its multi-billion dollar bailouts of struggling countries, but the organization now says narrowing the income gap between the very poor and the very rich is a key tenet of its mission. How income inequality fits into aid packages is yet to be seen, says Isaac Otto, but it is beginning to enter into the equation.
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- Impact Assessment
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Social Lending for Smallholders: Opportunities to support social lenders in closing the smallholder agricultural finance gap
The global demand for food is increasing, but the smallholder farmers who could help meet that demand lack the funds to invest in productivity and connect to markets. And many of the businesses that aggregate smallholders lack access to credit. Social lenders are one solution, says Laura Goldman, in discussing the Initiative for Smallholder Finance’s new guide to investing in or funding the sector.
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- Agriculture
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Trouble Brewing in Microfinance?: Peru and Mexico’s microcredit sectors appear to be in danger of collapsing – and the market-driven model is to blame
In spite of its well-publicized struggles, the market-driven microcredit model remains a revered concept, linked to the belief that free markets and business solutions are the best solutions to poverty. But according to Milford Bateman, flaws in the market-driven model itself are responsible for grave challenges facing Peru and Mexico’s celebrated microcredit sectors.
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- Impact Assessment
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PRESS RELEASE: Citi, OPIC and ACBA Credit Agricole Bank Support the Growth of the Microfinance Sector in Armenia
New York, NY, June 24, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Citi and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (“OPIC”) today announced a $10 million lending facility, using their existing framework partnership, to support the growth of ACBA Credit Agricole Bank’s agribusiness microfinance portfolio in the Republic of Armenia.
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Start Small, Stay Small: Can better finance help Latin America’s microenterprises take the next step?
According to the World Bank, 60 percent of Latin America employees work for businesses with five or fewer employees. And its new companies grow at a much slower rate than similar businesses in other middle-income regions. In part 3 of our Impact Investing Insights series, we speak with Venture South’s managing director George Petty about how better finance can help.
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Scoring for Access: Emerging evidence on the impact of credit scoring on SME lending
In developing countries, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are an important source of innovation and employment. But in 2010, available credit for these SMEs fell about one trillion dollars short of demand. Credit scoring can help financial institutions meet this demand, and Innovations for Poverty Action has studied several credit scoring innovations that can promote SME growth.
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JPMorgan Chase announces $100M Detroit investment
Financial giant JPMorgan Chase confirms plans to invest $100M in loans, grants into Detroit
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- impact investing, lending
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