Join us for a panel discussion and reception hosted by Dalberg and the Initiative for Smallholder Finance.
The theme of this year’s Borlaug Dialogue highlights the powers of intensification, innovation, and inspiration to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Dalberg and the Initiative for Smallholder Finance have explored how specific products and services can improve smallholders’ lives by expanding the reach of financing for smallholder farmers. We invite you to join us for a lively discussion with some of our partners in these efforts:
PANELISTS
Please RSVP at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-ripple-effect-how-smallholder-finance-can-improve-farmers-lives-yields-tickets-13419683635
Follow the conversation on Twitter: #smallholderfin
SPEAKER BIOS:
JANE ABRAMOVICH | Access to Finance Practice Leader, TechnoServe
Jane Abramovich, CFA, leads TechnoServe’s global Access to Finance Practice Group, where she manages strategic relationships with financial service partners, provides technical expertise to program design and implementation teams, develops and shares best practices, tools and innovations around lasting financial solutions in the developing world. Prior to TechnoServe, Jane held financial advisory and deal origination roles, including at UBS Investment Bank, and most recently, as National Director of Capital Markets at Jones Lang LaSalle.
WILLY FOOTE | Founder and CEO, Root Capital
Willy Foote is the founder and CEO of Root Capital. After initially working on Wall Street in Latin American corporate finance, Willy undertook a business journalism fellowship in Mexico, discovering the challenges faced by cooperatives and small producers: lack of capital, qualified employees, market access and knowledge. In 1999 he founded Root Capital, a nonprofit social investment fund, to address these needs and grow prosperity in poor, environmentally vulnerable places. Root Capital lends capital, delivers financial training, and strengthens market connections for small and growing agricultural businesses across Latin America and Africa. Willy holds an M.S. in development economics from the London School of Economics and a B.A. from Yale University.
DENNIS RIPLEY | Chief Business Development Officer, Opportunity International
Dennis sets the institutional and corporate donor fundraising strategy and provides oversight for the grant and equity funding raised and placed in Opportunity’s financial institutions in 21 countries. He has served on the board of our financial institutions in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi, as well as the microinsurance organization, MicroEnsure. Dennis joined Opportunity in 1992 as its e:xecutive vice president, overseeing global operations.
ANGELA HANSEN | Partner and Director, Agriculture & Food Security Practice, Dalberg
Angela is the Director of Dalberg's Agriculture & Food Security practice and its Johannesburg, South Africa, office. Angela works on a broad range of issues including sustainable land and water management, food security, agricultural market access, access to finance and infrastructure. She advises national governments, regional bodies across the African continent as well as development partners and multinational companies at the global level. Angela grew up on an Iowa farm and was educated at the University of Minnesota (BSc), Columbia Business School, and the University of Cape Town (MBA). She has professional experience in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Africa.
