Guiding Framework: Rural Finance in the Near East and North Africa
This document develops a guiding framework (GF) for the International Fund for Agricultural Development's (IFAD) rural finance operations in the Near East and North Africa for 2008-2012.
The GF is meant to help IFAD staff design, implement and monitor rural finance interventions and activities in the region. It aims to increase the access of the rural poor to sustainable and diversified financial services. The GF is formulated on core principles that include a strategically differentiated approach, devolution of responsibility and decision making to the program level, leveraging IFAD's assets in the region, strengthening management capacity at the field level, and improving knowledge base and impact assessments within the sector.
The GF should be applied according to the stage of development of rural finance in that particular area. GF objectives include:
- Developing a strategically differentiated approach at the country level;
- Ensuring sustainability and viability of all rural financial institutions supported by IFAD;
- Continuing the move towards provision of support for capacity building and funding to cover initial capital requirements of partner institutions;
- Adopting a flexible approach towards methodologies and partnerships.
