Agricultural Value Chain Finance:Tools and Lessons

Agriculture remains an important means of alleviating poverty, but shortage of finance can constrain its development. At the same time, agriculture is evolving towards a global system requiring high-quality, competitive products, and is organized in value chains which often exclude smallholders. Value chain financing in agriculture offers an opportunity to increase the scope, and reduce the cost and risk of financing to agriculture. It can also help value chains to be more inclusive, by making resources available for smallholders to be integrated into higher value market opportunities.

Agricultural Value Chain Finance provides a comprehensive look at the models, tools and approaches used by industry leaders in all parts of the developing world. These are described, analysed and illustrated by many rich examples in order to demonstrate how they work, and to extract lessons and applications for others to adapt. The book builds on the deep experience of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) in agricultural development and finance and includes 40 industry examples and 5 comprehensive case studies to enhance learning.

This book is essential reading for agribusiness leaders and technical staff, bankers and cooperative leaders working in agriculture, NGO and microfinance development practitioners researchers and policy makers.

`This book makes a useful contribution to the rapidly expanding literature on value chains by clarifying the myriad methods, some old, some new, used to finance actors in agricultural value chains.'---Richard L. Meyer, Professor Emeritus, Ohio State University

`I recommend the publication to be read by all stakeholders in the agriculture sector--- N.V. Ramana, former CEO, BASIX India, and Chairman, Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals

`An insightful and complete analysis of agricultural value chain financing---Mark D. Wenner, Inter-American Development Bank

`This is a "must read" for anyone interested in value chain finance.---Kenneth Shwedel, Agricultural Economist

Calvin Miller is Senior Officer, Agribusiness and Finance, with the FAO of the UN. He has extensive field experience with agricultural finance, value chain development and agribusiness development and is founder of the MicroVest Investment Fund.
Linda Jones is an International Consultant in enterprise development with expertise in value chain development, and was formerly chair of the SEEP Board. She has published widely on enterprise development, value chain analysis and development, and agricultural value chains.