Impact Evaluation of Innovations
in Rural Finance

Washington, DC June 12-13, 2006

The BASIS Policy Conference “Impact Evaluation of Innovations in Rural Finance” will bring together leading researchers, development professionals and finance practitioners through a format designed to result in a set of well-grounded policy and programming recommendations.

In order to take advantage of growth opportunities, protect themselves in the face of shocks, and maintain their asset base, rural households and producers must have the ability to borrow, insure and save. However, many people do not have access to adequate financial services, and therefore must adopt alternate, less desirable production strategies. BASIS currently has several research projects across the globe focusing on ways in which both policy and institutions can be strengthened to provide key financial services to rural producers and enterprises.

The primary focus of the conference will be to gauge the effectiveness and impact of specific policy and product innovations in credit markets. Innovations include credit bureaus that improve lenders' access to information, using index-based insurance for agricultural lending, the potential benefits of connecting lending and health insurance, and the impact of business training on microfinance clients. Financial practitioners will be given the opportunity to present activities within their institutions that are designed to help alleviate credit constraints, as well as talk about the challenges that remain.