For Immediate Release
January 30, 2007
Contact: Petra Tuomi, Women’s World Banking,
212-768-8513

New York, NY — Women's World Banking (WWB), a leading global microfinance network, will host a Workshop on Rural Finance in Monterrey, Mexico, February 21-23. The event will be hosted in collaboration with Grupo Financiero Banorte, a leader in rural finance in Mexico and a member of the WWB Global Network for Banking Innovation (GNBI), and with the support of the Inter American Development Bank (IDB/MIF) and The Andean Development Corporation (CAF). The workshop will build better understanding of the rural markets and agricultural risks faced by farmers and explore successful customer-responsive strategies for microfinance institutions and banks serving rural areas.

The two-day event will bring together over 100 rural development and financial experts, and will explore topics such as the needs and characteristics of small farmers in selected regions, the strategies and product mix necessary for reaching this segment, as well as the risks faced by both small farmers and the financial organizations serving them. WWB network members from Colombia, India, Africa and the Middle East and Banorte experts will share their experience in implementing successful rural finance services for their clients.

"We are excited about this workshop hosted by WWB and Banorte, which will address, in an integrated and up-to-date way, the main challenges involved in rural finance, such as expansion strategies, risk assessment processes, value chain and risk mitigation," said Hans Dellien, Manager of Microfinance Services at WWB.

Members of the press interested in attending, please contact Petra Tuomi at 212-768-8513 (work), 646-873-0763 (cell) or Elizabeth Lynch at 212-768-8513 x211.