• Agricultural Value Chain Finance Seminar

• Date
  February 22 to 24, 2010
• Headquarters
  Hotel InterContinental
  San José, Costa Rica
• Investment
  US $200

Program

Registration (6:00-9:00 p.m.)

Registration of participants

Receipt of materials

 

Inauguration (8:00-10:15 a.m.)

The opening session will be attended by Ministers of Agriculture from all the countries of Central America, who will take time out that same day from their regular semiannual meeting. The Minister of Agriculture of Costa Rica, who will be sitting as pro-tempore chair of the Agricultural Council of Central America (CAC), will preside over the activities. Mr. Keneth Shwedel of Rabobank México will be assigned the challenging task of tracing the links between this seminar and the last one and setting an analytical framework that will provide a platform for the other sessions of the event.

Moderator

• Alan Bojanic, FAO, Representative in Costa Rica

Welcome

• Javier Flores, Ministry of Agriculture of Costa Rica.
• Miguel Gómez, RUTA
• Luis Mesalles, Academia de Centroamérica

Keynote speaker

• Ken Shwedel, Rabobank México
• Agricultural value chain finance.  Recent evolution, crisis and innovation.

Discussion

Coffee break (10:15-12:45)

 

Lessons learned in agricultural value chain financing

This session will explore experiences and lessons learned in financing agricultural value chains in various parts of the world. It will be led by experts from international organizations and researchers who have been exposed to a variety of experiences. Speakers will describe different types of agricultural chains and various financing programs and offer recommendations.

Moderator

• Geoffrey Chalmers, ACDI/VOCA

Speakers

• Calvin Miller, FAO
• Ajai Nair, The World Bank
• Anita Campion, AZMJ
• Mark Wenner, IADB

Discussion

Lunch (12:45-2:00 p.m.)

 

Models of agricultural value chain financing.  From the viewpoint of participants in chains  (2:00-6:00 p.m.)

This will be the lengthiest session in the seminar. It will offer broad participation to a wide range of operators of agricultural value chains. Speakers will represent many different kinds of businesses (producers, processors, shippers, distributors) that all serve as examples of different financing models. The idea is for the operators themselves to explain how their chains have become an effective channel for lending services to the different links in the chain. The session is divided into two parts: the first, to present experiences from Latin America, and the second, to share interesting innovations from Africa and Asia.

Moderator

• Juan A. Ketterer, IDB Costa Rica

Speakers

• Cases in Latin America
• Brazil
• Rosalino Luiz Alba, Cresol and
• Fernanda Cardoso, BASF
• Bolivia
• Ricardo Galindo, Fambo and Fundación Autazo and
• Edwin Vargas, Fundación Profin
• Colombia
• Mauricio Osorio, Crezcamos
• Paraguay
• Fernando Chilavert, Pure Circle

Coffee break

Cases in Africa and Asia (3 presentations, 20 minutes each)

• Financing commodity management and exchanges, Lamon Rutten, MCX (India)
• Innovations in Africa, Beatrice Obara, Biashara Factors (Kenya)

Discussion

 

Innovative approaches for supporting agricultural value chains.  From the viewpoint of financial institutions  (8:00-11:00 a.m.)

This session will take a look at recent developments in the types of financial services now being lent to the different members of agricultural value chains. More specifically, the idea is to highlight the appearance of a great diversity of innovative products and also the impact that the economic crisis has had on the expansion and quality of services. Again, the topics will be introduced using an "applied" approach in which financial organizations themselves can tell about their own experiences, successes and difficulties, and share lessons and recommendations. The cases cover everything from commercial banks--both private and state-owned--to microfinance institutions, as well as a credit union and a private finance company.

Moderator

• Julio Flores, REDCAMIF

Speakers

Micro and small and medium enterprise approach

• Rick Clark, WOCCU/FENACREP (Perú)
• Teresa de Melilla, Financiera El Comercio (Paraguay)
• Andrés Urquidi, FIE (Bolivia)
• José Carlos Vaz, Banco do Brasil (Brazil)
• Héctor Pacheco, Banco del Estado (Chile)

Discussion

Coffee break

 

Methodologies to strengthen agricultural value chains and their financing (11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)

This session will offer an applied examination of training programs and other products or topics designed to strengthen the operation and financing of chains and offset risks.

Moderator

• Carmen Alvarado, COSUDE

Speakers

Risks and contracts

• Index Insurance for value chains, Mario Miranda, Global Ag. Risk, Inc. and The Ohio State University
• Contract arrangements, Lorna Grace, ACDI/VOCA Honduras

Strengthening value chains

• Strengthening value chains, Beate Weiskopf, GTZ
• Guides for facilitating value chain financing, Ruth Junkin, CATIE-RUTA
• The role of IT, a Mexican perspective, Geoffrey Chalmers, ACDI/VOCA
• Integral Strengthening of value chains. The case of INDAP in Chile, Manuel Miranda, INDAP

Discussion

Lunch (1:00-2:00 p.m.)

 

Dialogue with international organizations

This will be an opportunity to interact with the representatives of international cooperation organizations. The session is being included so that officers from organizations in attendance at the seminar can report on projects and programs for grants or financing in this or similar areas.

Moderator

• Miguel Gómez, RUTA

Speakers  

• Calvin Miller, FAO
• Dietmar Stoian, CATIE
• Ajai Nair, The World Bank
• Carmen Älvarez, IADB
• Beate Weiskopf, GTZ

Discussion

Coffee break

Closing (5:00-6:00 p.m.)

 

The closing session will be divided into two parts. In the first, Mr. Mark Wenner of the Inter-American Development Bank will summarize highlights of the seminar, with the support of two rapporteurs to be selected from among the participants. The second part is the closing ceremony itself, with the presence of Mr. Luis Carlos Acevedo, President of the Banco Central de Reserva of El Salvador.

Moderator

• Eduardo Lizano, Academia de Centroamérica

Conclusions

• Rapporteur 1 To be selected among participants
• Rapporteur 2 To be selected among participants
• General conclusion:  Mark Wenner, BID

Closing

• Luis Carlos Acevedo, President Central Bank of El Salvador
• Miguel Gómez, RUTA
• Luis Mesalles, Academia de Centroamérica

 

 

Visits to leading firms in agricultural value chains (requires a separate registration, 8:30-4:30 p.m.)

Participants will have the chance of selecting between several firms that have interesting schemes for offering financial services to other actors in the chain.

Option 1  Coopedota Dota (Coffee)
Option 2  APACOOP, Santa Cruz de Leén Cortés (fruits)
Option 3 Gerber, Cartago (fruits and vegetables) ( cupo lleno )

 

Registration Visits »