The regional study collects and analyzes recent innovative risk transfer and sharing strategies used by private or public financial institutions and enterprises leading agricultural investments in Asia. It makes an illustration of the channels through which recent strategies overcome obstacles for the delivery of various financial services to agribusinesses, such as long-term loans, savings, insurance, hedging instruments, and leasing. An explanation of the context in which these strategies seem to work is be provided in addition to those constraints that currently limit further outreach to the agribusiness sector, specially to smaller agro-enterprises with growth potential where poorer rural households participate.

This book reflects the current state of discussion about agricultural and rural finance in developing and transition countries. It provides insight into specific themes, such as commodity value chains, farm banking and risk management in agricultural banking, structured finance, crop insurance, mobile banking and how to increase effectiveness in rural finance. Case studies illustrate various aspects of agricultural and rural finance in developing economies. The book is based on one of the yearly financial Sector Development Symposia held by the KfW Development Bank.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) constitute the large majority of businesses both globally and in Asia and the Pacific. Despite their undeniable importance, the literature on SMEs in general, and agrifood SMEs in particular, is relatively limited. One specific area that deserves deeper consideration is the extent of digital engagement of agrifood SMEs along the agrifood value chain, from farm to retail and food services, in countries in Asia and the Pacific. The goal of this publication is to understand the current status of digitalization of agri-SMEs in Asia and the Pacific, what this process looks like and how to improve it. A value-chain approach was adopted to evaluate the digital maturity of all types of agri-SMEs across previously siloed categories – from farm to fork, and in the core and the extended value chain. The report analyses the benefits of digital transformation for agri-SMEs and the challenges they face in this process. Next, the report outlines practical and actionable measures that governments and other stakeholders may undertake to help agrifood SMEs stay ahead in the digital age. Special attention is given to the creation of a digital environment that enables agri-SMEs to increase the efficiency of their operations and allow them to grow. This is particularly important given that many agri-SMEs are located in rural agricultural areas, (where more than half of the population in Asia and the Pacific still resides), but where the environment is less favourable to digital transformation.

Based on cutting-edge research by an interdisciplinary team of academics and policy analysts, this insightful and timely book considers the role of great power competition in what has come to be known as gray zone conflict. Taking the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine as a backdrop for some of its critical evaluation, it also examines US and NATO approaches to the management of escalation in asymmetric conflicts, and proposes innovative tools for managing crises in the future.

Over the past few decades, some countries in Asia have been more successful than others in addressing poverty and malnutrition. The key question is what policies, strategies, legislation and institutional arrangements have led to a transformed agricultural sector, effectively contributing to poverty alleviation and addressing malnutrition. The great majority of national policymakers within and outside the Asia-Pacific region are keen to understand the causes of agricultural development and transformation in successful countries in Asia. A large number of studies have been conducted and some of them link specific public policies and interventions to successful agricultural transformation. However, there seems to be lack of focus on the policy, legislative and institutional environments that have enabled or impeded agricultural transformation in Asia. National policymakers are likely to benefit significantly from adequate and convincing information on successful and relevant experiences in successful transformation. Countries are interested in what their neighbours and peers have done, and why some have achieved impressive results. The main purpose of this study is to take stock of public sector experiences in facilitating and enabling agricultural transformation in selected countries in Asia. The study focuses on key public sector interventions, in particular policies, legislation and institutional innovations, because these areas have so far not been adequately researched.

The world’s population is expected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050. Meanwhile, concurrent rises in incomes and urbanization are driving increased consumption of meat, dairy, and biofuels. Meeting the demand for food, feed, and biofuel will require a global production increase of almost 50 percent relative to 2012. Production in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa—where 95 percent of farms are smaller than five hectares—must double at a minimum. A key element of policies to increase food production will be promoting improved food quality, as the health costs of too much, too little, and the wrong types of food become increasingly evident. Additional initiatives must address how to reduce food losses; globally, one-third of food production is lost or wasted at different stages in the food chain each year. Climate change is bringing further stressors. These challenges also present opportunities. Around the world, 450 million smallholder farmers are plagued by low productivity and poor access to inputs, technology, knowledge, financing, and markets. Agribusinesses are increasingly working directly with smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries to help secure a sustainable supply of key agricultural commodities while boosting rural incomes and economic growth. Sourcing directly from smallholders can expand a firm’s supply base, reduce margins paid to collectors and middlemen, facilitate improvements in quality and yield, and deliver premium prices for a certified fair-trade or sustainably produced product. Smallholders also represent a growing market for farm inputs, information, and financial services. Agribusiness firms can help smallholders to increase productivity and improve crop quality; access know-how to mitigate social and environmental impacts; develop farm management skills and combine their production with other farmers to achieve sufficient scale to be effective market players; and meet the growing demand for safe, sustainable food by improving practices and introducing traceability and certification systems. Working with Smallholders: A Handbook for Firms Building Sustainable Supply Chains shows how agribusinesses can develop more sustainable, resilient, and productive supply chains and illustrates the substantial impact of doing so on development. The book compiles innovative solutions and cutting-edge ideas to meet the challenges, and it incorporates a diverse collection of hands-on case studies from across the world that cover a variety of agribusiness sectors. This second edition builds on the lessons learned and provides updates in leading trends and technologies from those provided in the first edition published in 2014.

Forest landscapes are inhabited by approximately 1.5 billion people. The aggregate gross annual value of these smallholder producers approaches US$1.3 trillion. Adding value to that production, through financial investment, will be key to delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, access to finance is an important issue. The Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) commissioned this scoping paper to assess what might be done to improve access to finance. Organisation of forest and farm producers allows finance to be channelled toward valueadded investments. But the motivation to form forest and farm producer organisations (FFPOs) varies with context, from the desire to secure resource rights for Indigenous peoples in the forest core, to the desire to strengthen economic scale efficiencies in periurban forest product processing industries. The scale and type of finance needs vary and span enabling investments (grants or concessional loans)through to asset investments (market-rate capital that requires a return). Access to finance for FFPOs requires tailored approaches. For FFPOs, enabling investments in four key areas are needed to create the conditions and necessary track record to attract asset investment: (i) secure commercial rights; (ii) strong organisation for scale; (iii) appropriate technical extension; and (iv) fair market access and business incubation. Enabling investments of this sort make FFPO businesses bankable and affords them access to finance.