Microfinance

Manual on Participatory Planning, Technology and Knowledge Transfer of Eco-Village Development (EVD) in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Published by the Eco-Village Development Project Partners: INFORSE, INFORSE-South Asia, INSEDA in India, CRT/N in Nepal, IDEA in Sri Lanka, Grameen Shakti in Bangladesh, CAN-South Asia and DIB (project coordinator) in Denmark.
132 pages. 2018 December. Available: English, Hindi, Nepali, Bangla, and Sinhala.

MicroEnergy International (MEI) is a German private consulting organisation providing targeted technical assistance and training services to microfinance institutions, clean energy technology providers, policy makers, and entrepreneurs in developing countries. MEI's mission is to mobilize and support financial, technical and scientific actors to provide households and microentreprises at the Base of the Pyramid with reliable, affordable, and climate-friendly energy solutions.

Water resources are greatly impacted by the effects of climate change, and so it comes as no surprise that many of the programmes implemented by PPCR countries focus on enhancing water resilience. The case studies presented here, provide some examples of how PPCR countries in the Caribbean are working towards achieving this goal through decentralised solution. 

The Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) was established by the government of Bangladesh in 1990 with the intent to alleviate poverty through generating employment opportunities. PKSF disburses funds to microfinance institutions (MFIs) to implement development programs. Since its establishment in 1990, PKSF disbursed BDT 454 billion (USD 6.15 billion) to 8.6 million borrowers.

Mobisol delivers a clean, affordable alternative to fossil fuels for low-income households living without reliable access to energy. The Berlin-based company combines solar energy with mobile technology, microfinance and comprehensive customer service to provide high-tech solar home systems (SHS's) powerful enough to electrify whole households and small businesses in developing nations. Using mobile banking services the cost can be paid off conveniently via mobile phone in a 36-month instalment plan.

The main objective of this publication is to provide a reference framework for the key themes and concepts involved in the MEbA project, particularly those related to climate change, adaptation, ecosystems and microfinance. It also aims to provide background information on the Andean region, its ecosystems and the agricultural activity practised there. Finally, it highlights the role of the microfinance sector in promoting climate change adaptation, with a particular emphasis on sustainable approaches.

The MEbA project recently published its first systematisation effort to identify adaptation measures that could be promoted through microfinance products and services. The 40 selected principles may be implemented independently or in conjunction to support small-holder producers in adapting to Climate Change effects. The measures are organised in descriptive fact sheets that contain the required information to put each EbA option into practice. The ultimate goal of this exercise was to integrate EbA options within the microfinance context.

The UN Environment presents the video: Ecosystems-based Adaptation (EbA) demonstration farms. This is an innovative example of catalysing private sector investment in scaling up deployment of climate technology solutions for resilient agriculture practices in the Colombian and Peruvian Andes, with support of the 'Microfinance for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (MEbA)' project. The project is implemented by UN Environment and funded by Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI).

Video 

This paper explores the opportunities available for financial institutions in low-income housing sustainable energy projects in South Africa. It will consider what contribution the financial sector can make, as well as the terms under which it might do so.

Background

The high upfront cost of solar products is a major barrier to the widespread adoption of decentralized clean energy solutions in the developing world. Microfinance loans typically are not available for assets of this kind because of their high servicing costs. As a result manufacturers strip functionality and durability from their products to bring down the upfront price resulting in low-quality units with low light output and no phone charging.