Colombia financial inclusion set to progress

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Financial System ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Foreign Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Financial Exclusion

Subject Financial inclusion in Colombia. Significance Colombia saw nearly 1 million adults join the financial system for the first time in 2016, despite the economy struggling with sluggish growth. Financial inclusion is a high priority for several Latin American governments at the moment, with high degrees of financial exclusion viewed as obstacles to economic growth, social inclusion and poverty reduction. Impacts Greater financial inclusion will help reduce informality in the Colombian economy, and the high use of cash. Improved access to credit and a range of financial services will support the growth of the country’s many SMEs. Millions of new financial system customers will make Colombia even more attractive to foreign banks.

Financial Inclusion in India

2016 ◽  
pp. 95-104
Author(s):  
Rohit Bhattacharya
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Working Paper ◽  
Road Map ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Financial Exclusion ◽  
The World

The concept of Financial Inclusion is not a new one. It has become a catchphrase now and has attracted the global attention in the recent past. Lack of accessible, affordable and appropriate financial services has always been a global problem. It is estimated that about 2.9 billion people around the world do not have access to formal sources of banking and financial services. India is said to live in its villages, a convincing statement, considering that nearly 72% of our population lives there. However, a significant proportion of our 650,000 odd villages does not have a single bank branch to boast of, leaving swathes of the rural population in financial exclusion. RBI has reported that the financial exclusion in India leads to the loss of GDP to the extent of one per cent (RBI, Working Paper Series (DEPR): 8/2011). Financially excluded people, consistently, depend on money lenders even for their day to day needs, borrowing at excessive rates to finally get caught in a debt trap. In addition, people in far-off villages are completely unaware of financial products like insurance, which could protect them in adverse situation. Therefore, financial inclusion is a big necessity for our country as a large chunk of the world's poor resides here. Access to finance by the poor and vulnerable groups is a prerequisite for poverty reduction and social cohesion. Present paper is an attempt to highlight the present efforts of financial inclusion in India its future road map, its challenges etc.

Improving productivity among smallholder farmers in Ghana: does financial inclusion matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Atta Peprah ◽  
Isaac Koomson ◽  
Joshua Sebu ◽  
Bukari Chei
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Agricultural Productivity ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Living Standard ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Pooled Data ◽  
Financial Products ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeDoes financial inclusion matter for productivity among smallholder farmers? The authors answer this question by using the sixth and seventh rounds of the Ghana Living Standard Survey to examine the extent to which financial inclusion affects productivity among smallholder farmers in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a pooled data of the 6th and 7th rounds of the Ghana Living Standard Survey which are national representative data. The authors model an Instrumental Variable (IV) to correct for endogeneity in financial inclusion and a dominance analysis to examine the effects of access to credit, ownership of savings account and insurance product on farmers' productivity.FindingsResults from the study indicate that financial inclusion significantly enhances productivity. Moreover, credit, savings and insurance products influence productivity at various degrees. Thus, expanding the scope of financial services (access to credit, savings and insurance) among smallholder farmers is crucial for inclusive finance and sustainable agricultural production.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study have implications for financial institutions in the design of financial products that the meet the needs of smallholder farmers.Originality/valueSeveral studies have looked at how access to credit influences agricultural productivity in Africa. However, in recent times financial inclusion has been advocated for because it goes beyond mere access to credit. This paper to the best of our knowledge is the first of its kind to examine how financial inclusion could affect agricultural productivity in Ghana.

Financial Inclusion in India

2020 ◽  
pp. 559-568
Author(s):  
Rohit Bhattacharya
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Working Paper ◽  
Road Map ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Financial Exclusion ◽  
The World

The concept of Financial Inclusion is not a new one. It has become a catchphrase now and has attracted the global attention in the recent past. Lack of accessible, affordable and appropriate financial services has always been a global problem. It is estimated that about 2.9 billion people around the world do not have access to formal sources of banking and financial services. India is said to live in its villages, a convincing statement, considering that nearly 72% of our population lives there. However, a significant proportion of our 650,000 odd villages does not have a single bank branch to boast of, leaving swathes of the rural population in financial exclusion. RBI has reported that the financial exclusion in India leads to the loss of GDP to the extent of one per cent (RBI, Working Paper Series (DEPR): 8/2011). Financially excluded people, consistently, depend on money lenders even for their day to day needs, borrowing at excessive rates to finally get caught in a debt trap. In addition, people in far-off villages are completely unaware of financial products like insurance, which could protect them in adverse situation. Therefore, financial inclusion is a big necessity for our country as a large chunk of the world's poor resides here. Access to finance by the poor and vulnerable groups is a prerequisite for poverty reduction and social cohesion. Present paper is an attempt to highlight the present efforts of financial inclusion in India its future road map, its challenges etc.

Does access to finance alleviate poverty? A case study of SGSY beneficiaries in Kashmir Valley

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (8) ◽  
pp. 1032-1045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audil Rashid Khaki ◽  
Mohi-ud-Din Sangmi
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Access To Finance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty Index ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to question and analyse the basic tenets of financial inclusion and to understand the relationship between access to finance and poverty reduction. The paper attempts to elaborate the importance of unrestrained access to finance in building an inclusive financial sector, which is believed to reduce poverty by enabling poor and excluded people to participate in the economic process by employing their skill sets, labour and innovations in the productive activities of the economy, thereby not only increasing their own welfare and standards of living but also contributing at very high marginal returns to the overall economic growth. Design/methodology/approach This study evaluates the progression of the participants/beneficiaries of National Rural Livelihood Mission Scheme (erstwhile Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana Scheme) across various dimensions of poverty by making use of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). Findings The results suggest that the participation has in fact lead to increase in the standard of living, thereby reducing multidimensional poverty. Further, the results suggest that participation does not reduce deprivations in the “education” dimension, whereas in all other dimensions reduction in deprivations is significant. The results also suggest that the programme under study seems to be seriously mistargeting by allocating the programme to non-poor sections rather than absolute poor. Research limitations/implications The study has been conducted without following the participants over a longer period of time. The study has adopted a pre-post methodology, collecting the responses at only one point using a reflexive quasi-experimental design which leads to a recall limitation. Originality/value The paper tries to evaluate the impact of access to financial inclusion through a new perspective – the MPI. The paper examines the targeting of government-sponsored programmes and the utility of such intervention in the changing milieu of financial services.

scholarly journals PERCEPTION TOWARDS BC/BF MODEL AS A SUCCESSFUL AGENT FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Manoj Xavier
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Financial System ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Inclusive Growth ◽  
Financial Exclusion

The concept financial inclusion, the delivery of financial services at affordable costs to low-income segments of society, is a realistic strategy for accelerated economic growth, and plays critical role in achieving inclusive growth. Non accessibility, non-affordability and non availability of formal financial services results in financial exclusion and thereby, vulnerable sections cannot use their own funds in an underdeveloped financial system leading to high cost credit from informal sources and the individuals also pay higher charges for basic financial services. In India the RBI and Government have launched several financial inclusion measures and programs over the last two decades. Among these, BC/BF Model is one of the successful initiatives. This study is an attempt to know the perception towards BC/BF model as a successful agent for financial inclusion among the beneficiaries

Introduction to the financial services in Africa special issue

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Makina
Keyword(s):  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Exchange Markets ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the landscape of financial services in Africa through the prism of a selection of research papers. Design/methodology/approach This is a review of literature that focusses on access to financial services (i.e. financial inclusion) and empirical findings from research papers in this issue of the journal. Findings The landscape of financial services in Africa is as heterogeneous as the countries comprising the continent. Common features include low levels of financial inclusion, low financial literacy, constrained access to credit, costly credit when available, gender discrimination in account ownership, and use and inefficient foreign exchange markets. Nevertheless, there are promising innovations, especially the mobile money innovation, which have the potential to foster more inclusive financial systems. Originality/value All the papers in this volume are based on original research shedding new insights on various aspects of financial services in Africa.

Evolution of financial inclusion in Latin America

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-276
Author(s):  
Lisana B. Martinez ◽  
Valeria Scherger ◽  
M. Belén Guercio ◽  
Sofía Orazi
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Credit Cards ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World Bank ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Main Determinants ◽  
Binary Probit ◽  
Positive Evolution ◽  
Latin American Countries

PurposeThis paper analyses the evolution of the financial inclusion and its main determinants in seven Latin American countries.Design/methodology/approachThe database used is the Global Findex from the World Bank for the latest data released that includes the years 2011 and 2014. The variables used are formal financial accounts, formal savings and formal credit as proxies of financial inclusion for the years of study. Moreover, the use of debit and credit cards is considered. The methodologies applied are the mean difference tests, in order to contrast the hypotheses of the inclusion evolution and binary probit regressions models.FindingsThe results of the analysis show that there is a positive evolution in the use of financial instruments in the countries of the sample, especially in the use of formal accounts. On the other hand, considering the characteristics of the individuals, age, level of education and income positively affect their financial inclusion.Originality/valueThere are no similar works for the region of study that allow us to evaluate the evolution of financial inclusion considering the variables selected in the literature. It is possible to clearly fulfil the proposed objective, highlighting the importance of implementing financial inclusion policies in view of the low percentage of use of the instruments in the analyzed countries.

Quality financial inclusion and its determinants in South Africa: evidence from survey data

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kudakwashe Joshua Chipunza ◽  
Ashenafi Fanta
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Financial Products ◽  
Data Limitations

PurposeThe study measured quality financial inclusion, a more comprehensive measure of financial inclusion, and examined its determinants at a consumer level in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThis study leveraged on FinScope 2015 survey data to compute a quality financial inclusion index using polychoric principal component analysis. Subsequently, a heteroscedasticity consistent ordinary least squares regression model was employed to assess determinants of quality financial inclusion.FindingsThe empirical findings indicated that gender, education, financial literacy, income, location and geographical proximity determine quality financial inclusion. These findings could inform policymakers and financial services providers on how quality financial inclusion can be promoted through tailoring financial products for various socio-demographic groups.Research limitations/implicationsDue to data limitations, the study was confined to South Africa and did not capture digital financial inclusion. Hence, future studies could replicate the study in Sub-Saharan Africa's context and compute an index that captures digital financial inclusion.Practical implicationsThese findings could inform policymakers and financial services providers on how quality financial inclusion can be promoted through tailoring financial products for various socio-demographic groups.Originality/valueThis study proposed a more comprehensive measure of quality financial inclusion from a demand-side perspective by accounting for important dimensions that include diversity, affordability, appropriateness and flexibility of financial products and services.

scholarly journals FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN ZIMBABWE

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-182
Author(s):  
David Mhlanga ◽  
◽  
Steven Henry Dunga ◽  
Tankiso Moloi ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Financial Education ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

The study sought to investigate the impact of financial inclusion on poverty reduction in Zimbabwe among the smallholder farmers. It is alleged that financial inclusion can help in achieving seven of the seventeen sustainable development goals (SDGs), which include poverty eradication in all its forms everywhere, ending hunger, achieving food security, ensuring improved nutrition as well as promoting sustainable agriculture and many others. Using the simple regression method, the study discovered that financial inclusion has a strong impact on poverty reduction among smallholder farmers. The study went on to discover that, for the government to tackle poverty especially among the smallholder farmers, it is important to ensure that farmers do participate in the financial sector through saving, borrowing and taking out insurance among other services. So, it is important for the government of Zimbabwe to fully implement policies that encourage financial inclusion such as making sure that farmers find it easy to access financial institutions and encouraging financial institutions to review transaction costs like bank account opening charges periodically, implementing financial education programs among the farmers because these variables are important in influencing farmers to participate or preventing them from using financial services.

scholarly journals Empowering Women through Financial Inclusion in Zimbabwe Is the Gender Gap Not Encroaching This Noble Cause?

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64
Author(s):  
Lettiah Gumbo ◽  
Precious Dube ◽  
Muhammad Ridwan
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
National Development ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Financial Products ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Government ◽  
Financial Awareness

One of the most effective catalysts of economic growth of any nation is obviously financial inclusion. However, in developing countries such as Zimbabwe gender gap is still an impediment to the achievement of financial inclusion for all. Research findings for this paper show that, increasing women’s financial opportunities and financial awareness on how to access financial products and services will go a long way in reducing the gender gap. Furthermore, increasing access to and use of quality financial products and services is essential to inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction. Although the government of Zimbabwe is taking steps to increase women financial inclusiveness, research shows that women in Zimbabwe trail behind men in as far as access to financial services is concerned. Zimbabwean communities remain dominantly patriarchal and women are always lagging behind in developmental projects meant for their empowerment. This paper seeks to assess the implementation of women’s financial inclusion highlighting opportunities and barriers such as the gender gap and how this may be overcome. The study is qualitative in nature and therefore makes use of interviews and questionnaires for data collection. It is envisioned by the researchers that the research findings will be beneficial to women; their empowerment and development and national development. It is hoped to change the way in which the banking and financial sectors deal with women’s financial inclusion for the betterment of their livelihoods.  Furthermore, women’s financial empowerment will improve livelihoods of many families given the caring nature of mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers.

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