Experiences in Gender-Sensitive Solutions to Collateral Constraints

Use of non-conventional collateral (NCC) in agricultural lending, together with an effective registry system and appropriate regulatory frameworks, can contribute to improved access to and use of appropriate and affordable credit by smallholder women farmers.

This learning paper provides financial service providers and policymakers guidance on the potential for NCC to increase access to credit for women smallholder farmers, promote greater financial inclusion, and the importance of registries and sound legal frameworks to achieving this goal. Women’s organizations promoting financial inclusion can also benefit from this additional evidence to support their continued promotion of NCC and collateral registries.