Microfinance institutions (MFIs) have been successful in providing credit to millions of low-income borrowers in groups previously excluded from formal financial services, but they often charge interest rates that many claim are excessive. We examine microfinance interest rates and their...

Few commercial banks have engaged in profitable microfinance lending despite repeated attempts by donor agencies to entice their entry. The case of Banco de la Empresa, a Latin American private bank, illustrates how penetration of the microenterprise market segment could evolve. This paper...

The purpose of this report is to review common credit risk management techniques used in a sample of Latin American financial institutions with agricultural portfolios, identify the factors that contribute to successful credit risk management as measured by several key financial performance...

The objective of this paper is to provide a regional overview of financial regulations in Latin America and the Caribbean which have the potential of constituting important obstacles to microfinance. The study attempts to identify the regulations and restrictions which may be inappropriate or...

This paper reviews the Bank's lending experience in rural finance and extracts the lessons learned from that experience. It is based on a review of project documents, evaluation reports, and interviews. A sample of 27 projects were studied in detail. Although the review of IDB projects is far...

This paper seeks to provide an overview of the current situation in rural financial markets in the region since the onset of widespread financial liberalization earlier in the decade. It also presents a conceptual framework that explains why these markets do not work well and, in particular, why...

The purpose of this paper is fourfold. First, it seeks to highlight the general characteristics of the microenterprise sector and the microfinance industry in the Anglophone Caribbean. Second, it will examine the main factors that help explain the differences in the development of sustainable...

Este documento se centra en el manejo de riesgos de producción agrícola, explica los conceptos fundamentales y analiza los motivos por los que los mercados de seguros han demorado en desarrollarse en América Latina y el Caribe. Asimismo, formula recomendaciones para la creación de mercados...

Pocos bancos comerciales se han dedicado en forma lucrativa al campo de las micro finanzas, pese a repetidos intentos por parte de entidades donantes de entusiasmarlos para ingresar a este segmento. El caso de Banco de la Empresa, banco privado latinoamericano cuya identidad ha sido disfrazada...

El objetivo del presente informe es examinar las técnicas comunes de manejo de riesgos usadas en una muestra de instituciones financieras de América Latina con carteras agropecuarias e identificar los factores que contribuyen al manejo efectivo del riesgo crediticio. En este informe se...