Our Learning Agenda
The RAF learning agenda guides the substance of the Learning Lab's work; that is, it contains the hypotheses we are testing and the learning questions we want to answer. These learning questions are divided into four themes (see below) with a high-level question for each and detailed questions following. The learning agenda will be flexible to respond to lessons emerging from the field and the input of our stakeholders on which questions are most important to answer. For more details on the learning agenda (including theory of change, definitions, key indicators) access a short PDF presentation by clicking "download" below:
Impact
How does rural and agricultural finance contribute to poverty reduction and improved livelihoods?
- Pathways to poverty reduction
(for different client segments) - Relative impact of solutions on production, income, and resilience
(under what conditions, for different segments) - Impact on other outcome variables
(beyond these three, including unintended impacts)
Content relevant to the Impact learning question is found in the Impact and Measurement topic.
Client
What products, services and channels do different client segments value and use, and why?
- Customer centricity/client voice
(most effective ways to engage clients in developing and scaling solutions in different contexts) - Uptake, usage, and satisfaction; unintended usage
(key drivers of these in different contexts; gap between intended/unintended usage) - Non-financial services and technical assistance
(complementary solutions, and other keys to strengthening client demand)
Content relevant to the Client learning question is found in the Client Demand topic.
Provider
What is the business case for RAF; what are the keys to business model sustainability?
- Keys to financial sustainability for existing/emerging RAF models
(for different customer segments and financial needs targeted; role of subsidy) - Progressive partnerships to address cost, risk and reach
(how do provider partnerships improve the business case) - Role of non-financial institutions
(how can value chain actors and fintech unlock growth in RAF provision) - Technical assistance for providers of RAF
(knowledge, skills, tools and support needed) - Learning from failure
(insights from ineffective experiences)
Content relevant to the Provider learning question is found in the Providing Financial Solutions topic.
Ecosystem
What are the enablers and catalysts of an inclusive RAF ecosystem?
- Features of an inclusive RAF ecosystem
(stages of growth, enabling environment factors, customer experience) - Interventions for ecosystem change
(policy priorities, role of smart subsidy, collective actions required) - Effective knowledge sharing
(keys to fostering collaboration and inspiring action)
Content relevant to the Ecosystem learning question is found in the Ecosystem Development topic.
Further Reading
The Rural and Agricultural Finance Learning Lab’s learning agenda guides every angle of our work. Our learning agenda is driven by four key learning questions and the MasterCard Foundation’s rural and agricultural finance Theory of Change.
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LEARNING LAB HOSTS
The Rural and Agricultural Finance Learning Lab is an initiative of The MasterCard Foundation jointly implemented by GDI and Dalberg.
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