“Credit plus” microcredit schemes: a key to women’s adaptive capacity
This paper presents the provision of “credit plus” training activities, conditionally and jointly with microloans by Equity Bank and by Swedish non-governmental organization Vi-Skogen in the area of Kisumu, Kenya to women’s groups as a key to improving women’s capacity to adapt to climate change. Groups received training in small business administration and agroforestry, which produced positive outcomes or a virtuous spiral in their families’ economy, well-being and in their intra-household bargaining power. In agroforestry and new farming practices, group training enhanced the women’s set of planned adaptation strategies. In a context where formal financial institutions are still reluctant to provide credit to subsistence farmers, this case study shows the beneficial effects that credit would generate for women’s adaptive capacity.
Caretta, M.A. (2014). “Credit plus” microcredit schemes: a key to women’s adaptive capacity. Climate and Development. 6:2, 179-184. DOI: 10.1080/17565529.2014.886990