Closing the Gender Gap in Agricultural Investments
Closing the Gender Gap in Agricultural Investments: How Three CSAF Investors Are Turning Gender Intention Into Action
When it comes to addressing the gender finance gap in agriculture, many investors feel stuck. Yet, the hardest and most important step is often just getting started.
In 2021, Root Capital, Value for Women, and CSAF hosted a series of trainings and events to demonstrate the business case for gender lens investing, and advance gender equity goals among CSAF investors. In 2022, three selected CSAF members received customized one-on-one technical assistance from VfW to kick off or advance on their journeys in gender lens investing. Over a six to nine month period, Alterfin, Cordaid Investment Management and Incofin developed organizational gender lens investing strategies, implemented gender metrics, and enhanced knowledge and buy-in for gender lens investing within their agri-investment teams and senior leadership.
This report, which includes case studies of the three investors, showcases how these investors turned their gender intentions into action, each focusing on the entry point and Gender Lens Investing (GLI) actions most aligned with their business and impact priorities.
Value for Women is a global advisory services firm with a mission to promote women’s participation and leadership in business, finance and investment around the globe, with a focus on emerging markets.
Root Capital invests in the growth of small and growing agricultural businesses so they can transform rural communities. They use a a '"Credit-plus-Capacity" model, pairing lending with technical training. Root Capital has lent $1.6 billion to over 750 enterprises reaching 1.3 million farm families across Latin America, Africa, and Indonesia, and has provided tailored training to 1,675 enterprises.
Council on Smallholder Agricultural Finance (CSAF) is an alliance of lending institutions with a shared commitment to building an inclusive and sustainable financial market for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agriculture sector in developing countries worldwide.
