Authors: Hans Dallien and Elizabeth Lynch

This paper outlines the steps that microfinance providers must take to expand responsively and sustainably into rural areas. The majority of the world’s poor live in rural areas, and have little or no access to formal financial markets or microfinance services. In 2007, WWB began working with Banco ADOPEM in the Dominican Republic to design a rural lending product to address this financing gap by expanding operations into rural areas.

“Rural Finance for Small Farmers” uses a case study of WWB's work with ADOPEM to give concrete examples of each of the key steps in the expansion process. It also includes a selection tool for determining appropriate regions for rural expansion, as well as loan assessment forms and other tools for evaluating potential rural farmer clients.