Developing Rural Agent Networks to Advance Digital Financial Inclusion

This Technical Note is targeted at development funders (donors and DFIs) and provides high level guidance based on CGAP’s prior research. Section I introduces CICO agents and describes their importance in advancing sustainable development goals and financial inclusion. Section II explains the various market system-wide barriers to expanding rural CICO agent networks, solutions to address these barriers, and what funders can do to create the incentives and capacity among market actors to design and implement these solutions. Section III concludes by discussing implications for funders.