In this paper, we set out to establish if there is a link between finance and economic growth in rural areas. In particular, we evaluate the relation between credit by major lenders in rural areas - commercial banks and Farm Credit System institutions - and economic growth for the period...

Understanding how capital flows within rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa can provide important insights on the nature of poverty and the effectiveness of financial intermediation interventions. In this paper, we use unique individual level savings and borrowing data to study the flow of...

This paper aims to analyze the degree of concentration of loans allocated to agricultural and livestock activities in Brazil from 2000 to 2009, and to assess the distribution pattern of rural credit among the Brazilian states. The major motivation is to investigate if the volume of available...

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of easing credit constraints for rural producers in Mexico through loans provided by a national public development finance institution (DFI). In contrast to most of the existing literature, the study focuses on the effect of medium-sized loans over a two-...

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of easing credit constraints for rural producers in Mexico through loans provided by a national public development finance institution. In contrast to most of the existing literature, the study focuses on the effect of medium-sized loans over a two- to...

Access to external finance is a key challenge for the creation, survival and growth of SMEs. This article delves into the “weak funding” handicap of rural small firms (SEs): the access to bank financing and the substitutive role of trade credit for entrepreneurs in rural areas when they...