[Terminology Used: Agents or Customer Service Points (CSPs) – Individuals, shops or other outlet points responsible for direct contact with clients. They open bank accounts, check Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, carry out money transfers and transactions and in some cases, extend … Read More
Analyzing the Business Correspondent Model (Part I) – Why BCs?
Today, we begin a series on the Business Correspondent (BC) model based on findings from CMFs on-going studies and external research on the sector. For starters, what are the particular advantages of using information and communications technology (ICT) based correspondents … Read More
Treated Bednets – Dealing with Mosquitoes: Where is the Problem?
Well, this week has been festive not just as per the Indian calendar alone, the weather in Madras has been rather pleasant with consistent rainfall. However, consistent rainfall in India does have its share of problems that it brings – … Read More
Hand in Hand- Profile of CMF's Partner Organisation
The following blog intends to familiarize our readers with the kind of partner organisation, CMF works with. The references of these articles have been taken from the HiH annual report. Picture Courtesy: Hand in Hand website Hand in Hand … Read More
Remembering the Field
Drawing by Samira Jain I have not taken any photos of any of my field experiences in Bihar, mostly due to an inexplicable sense of discomfort in taking photos of people and their surroundings (even when they’re not study respondents … Read More
Re-imagining Policy
India’s public expenditure on agriculture is one of the highest in the Asian region; yet, agricultural productivity remains relatively low. The main policy instrument used for domestic agriculture seems to be focus on some form of a subsidy. More than … Read More
Tick Tock, Preference Shock
The previous blog about the ongoing project in Satara, “Economics and Psychology of Long Term Savings and Pensions” was an introduction to why time-preference inconsistency is important and how it may manifest itself. The current blog will attempt to describe … Read More
What was the “Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief” Scheme About?
Photo Credit: http://www.aegindia.org According to Malcolm Harper, “the loan waiver scheme is an expensive, populist device that won’t have much effect” (Eye on Microfinance, Volume 7). This was in response to the In March 2008 “Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief” … Read More
Agricultural Financing – Potential for Innovations ?
Quite often, I come across this from some of my city-based friends, “Someday I would like to retire and get settled in a village and have a farm to myself, grow some vegetables and more” I do not know to … Read More
Making the Case for Financial Literacy – Why is FE Critical for the Vulnerable Clients in India – Opinions from the Field (PART III)
In Part I and Part II of this blog, we made a case for FE by making the modules concise, cost-efficient and effective for the clients. In this blog we discuss the observations from the field that add to existing … Read More