Tufts University

Crop Insurance Study: Margaret McMillan

Indemnified Loan Study

The majority of the borrowers from rural MFIs are employed in the agricultural sector. Defaults rates for these clients are often triggered by price declines and/or crop failures. The combination of these factors deters small scale farmers from accessing credit that could help them expand their productive base, and escape a so-called poverty trap. We are working with Mumuado Bank to design a product that protects the client against price risk and/or crop failure. Such a product has the potential to increase loan take-up, attract good borrowers, and increase repayment rates. In short, a new financial product that takes into account these risk factors could deepen the market for credit in the rural areas and enhance the profitability of rural MFIs.

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