International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) partners with EMRC for AFIF 2012.

The United Nations' agricultural development agency, IFAD, will spotlight the importance of financial tools for populations across Sub-Saharan Africa to ensure rural development and financial growth at this year's EMRC Africa Finance & Investment Forum.

Entitled “Financial inclusion through SMEs & Cooperatives”, AFIF 2012 is held in partnership with Rabobank and will take place at Rabobank Headquarters, the Netherlands, from 17-19 June 2012, presenting the latest global topics and issues to face African finance.

“There is no single microfinance model – that is what IFAD's presentation at AFIF will focus on,” explains Michael Hamp, PhD, IFAD Senior Rural Finance Adviser. “IFAD works with a wide range of partners, tailoring its interventions to each particular context. Its partners in rural finance include grass-roots savings and credit associations, financial cooperatives, microfinance institutions, rural banks, specialized NGOs and agricultural development banks. In many areas, self-help groups are central to rural finance.”

At a time when the world is facing considerable financial strains and changes, financial solutions are a global priority.

“IFAD is committed to enabling poor rural people to have sustained access to the financial services they need for their production and household needs, to improve their food security, and to mitigate risk. Approximately 17 per cent (more than US$700 million) of IFAD's portfolio of loans and grants is focused on rural financial services, making IFAD one of the top ten funders of microfinance worldwide. Our Rural Finance Policy spells out the guiding principles of IFAD's rural finance operations,” adds Hamp.

This year's AFIF Forum will gather leading global representatives from a variety of sectors to highlight the financial tools, solutions and growing policy trends to ensure Africa's economic growth for Africa's Small and Medium Enterprise sector (SMEs). The discussions and proposals to be highlighted at the forum are essential for a cross section of African sectors to establish their full economic potential.

A growing number of organisations and businesses will be present at AFIF 2012, such as FMO - Rabo Development - Rabobank Foundation - IFC, World Bank - IFAD - AfDB (African Development Bank) - Centenary Bank - Shell Foundation – GIZ (German International Cooperation Organisation) - Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture & Innovations - Oikocredit - FARA - Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation - Clifford Chance - Wageningen University – Agriterra - HEINEKEN - I&P - Hivos – AFRACA - AMSCO - Rectory Foods, Ltd – AFRACA (African Rural & Agriculture Credit Association) - Global Development Co-operative - Centenary Bank - among many other from Africa, Europe, America and Asia.

AFIF 2012 will provide a platform for new and improved financial tools to be spotlighted, with a particular focus on mechanisms adapted and unique to the African business model. Business-to-business (B2B) meetings which are tailor-made to ensure maximum business partnership success will be organized on the 18th June at Rabobank Headquarters. Previous forums have seen over 1,000 of these meetings set up over a 2-day period. The international media will spotlight the various speakers and interview a select group of participants to highlight regional and local business ideas and trends.

The EMRC-Hivos Project Incubator Award will be sponsored this year by the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation (Hivos), a leading Dutch organisation with a worldwide presence, and held in collaboration with Venture Capital for Africa (VC4A), a global platform connecting entrepreneurs and investors throughout Africa.

With two leading organisations associated to this year's Award, the winner and nominees will receive increased international recognition and the opportunity to expand their global contacts. The award is presided by a panel of international experts, with the winner receiving a cash prize of US$15,000 and the much-needed international media spotlight.

The first two days of the Forum will be held in Utrecht and the third day will be held in partnership with Food First, which includes guided visits to one of the world's biggest Horticultural Expo - Floriade 2012 (Venlo-Netherlands), organized once every ten years.

Interested participants are urged to contact EMRC International and book a place for AFIF 2012. Please contact [email protected]

For more information about sponsorship and speaking opportunities please contact Inês Bastos at [email protected] or visit www.emrc.be