Investing in the rural poor
One in four of the world's poorest people live in rural areas. And many of those people -- from farmers to seasonal workers -- rely on agricultural activities in some way to meet their daily needs.
Agriculture
Agriculture needs funding
Cyclical and unpredictable income means credit for farmers can be difficult or impossible to obtain. Raising cash for planting, havesting or new investments is a challenge. Insurance to protect against floods, droughts or hurricanes is almost non-existent. And lack of knowledge about new farming methods or regional and international markets puts smallholder farmers at a huge disadvantage against large agrifood companies.
Cooperation with partners in agriculture
Oikocredit aims to improve this situation by providing support to agricultural partners in developing countries. We finance microfinance institutions and producer organizations - such as agricultural cooperatives - that work to build strong local economies and stronger communities by supporting smallholder farmers.