Contacts
Zoumana Bamba Knowledge Management and Grants Officer
West and Central Africa Division
IFAD
Via Paolo di Dono 44
00142 Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 06 54592307
Useful links
About IFAD
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in developing countries. Its work in remote rural areas of the world helps countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
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Rural Finance in Western and Central Africa: Successes and challenges
Message from the Director
There is no question that access to financial services is critical to rural development and poverty reduction. Access to finance encourages investments in rural enterprises, including farms. However, banks are usually reluctant to work rural areas in developing countries because of the higher costs of doing business with geographically dispersed farmers, and the perceived riskiness of agricultural production, prices and policies. Read more
Rural Poverty Report 2011 - New realities, new challenges: new opportunities for tomorrow’s generation
The Rural Poverty report 2011 is comprehensive resources for policymakers and practitioners, especially those in developing countries.
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Field experiences
Village Savings and Credit Associations in The Gambia: The financial service keeping kids in school
“No Savings, No Membership” – Building on the COWAN method in rural Nigeria
After the war: Rural Finance partnerships bring opportunities to post-conflict Sierra Leone
A model for West and Central Africa: Benin’s Financial Services Associations
Focus – Regional experience on rural finance in WCA – a review and way forward
IFAD's approach to its diverse portfolio of rural finance initiatives in West and Central Africa has evolved considerably in recent years Read more
Spotlight on microfinance
Women living in rural parts of Burkina Faso have limited access to banks and traditional financial... Read more
New projects
Republic of Côte d’Ivoire - Country strategic opportunities programme
This country strategic opportunities programme (COSOP) 2010-2015 is the second COSOP, and the first results-based COSOP... Read more
Read also
- Resources on Rural Finance
- Events
- Appointment