ISF has three key impact pathways guiding its work to deliver partnerships and investment structures that promote financial inclusion for rural enterprises and smallholder farmers:

1. A learning pathway to build knowledge and define opportunities that lead to action from others;
2. A new infrastructure pathway to facilitate and broker new partnerships and initiatives;
3. An intermediation and facilitation pathway to support early-stage investment ideas as a design catalyst.

ISF projects typically include:

• Raising capital or promoting access to finance for rural farmers and inclusive agri-enterprises
• Designing and launching blended investment structures to mobilize capital for rural development
• Advising on investor or donor strategy

ISF conducts its projects globally, historically working on projects in Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia. Head to the Research tab to dive deeper into the group’s work and thought leadership.

Learn more about the team by visiting ISF’s website.

ISF frequently publishes new research on rural livelihoods and sustainable financial solutions through blogs and formal reports. Below is a snapshot of the group’s leading publications:

State of the Sector Reports

• Pathways to Prosperity (2019)
• Protecting Growing Prosperity: Agricultural insurance in the developing world (2018)
• Inflection Point (2016)

Pulse Blog Series with the RAF Learning Lab

• Digital data sharing in agriculture: Mercy Corps AgriFin case study
• How governments incentivize private sector involvement in agricultural finance
• Strategies for supporting sustainable and climate-smart advisory services
• Understanding the transition pathways and service needs of rural youth
• Understanding women’s rural transitions and service needs

Briefing Notes

• Assessment of investment funds supporting tropical forest areas and communities
• Role of Government in Rural and Agri-Finance: Transitioning to private sector involvement
• Getting Smarter on Subsidy: The role of grant funding in smallholder finance
• The Fund Manager Perspective: Moving the needle on inclusive agribusiness
• The Role of Government in Developing Agricultural Finance: A look at the history of Germany, the US, and South Korea