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Capital for Development
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Over 70 percent of
the world’s poorest people depend on agriculture <<
Back [ Symposia]
When
16th October, 2006
Speakers
Hans Dieter Seibel, University of Cologne
Christopher West, Shell Foundation
Introduction by Nickolaus Schultze,
Syngenta Foundation
Background
A recent World Bank study found that investment in
entrepreneurial activities is much more successful in
helping poor families achieve economic prosperity than
traditional foreign aid.
A 'Blue' financial revolution is needed to repair critical
and too frequent market failures faced by small and
medium enterprises in developing countries, particularly
in Africa. In this symposium the speakers examine how
innovative funding mechanisms, including microfinance,
can build prosperous rural SME sectors, and offer examples
on how enterprise solutions are remarkably effective
ways to reduce poverty.
Bios of Speakers
Prof. Dr. Phil. Hans Dieter Siebel,
Head, Development Research Centre , University of Cologne,
is a specialist in rural and microfinance. His recent
research has examined linkages between banks and Microfinance
Institutions in developing countries, on principles and
products of Islamic finance, and on reforming agricultural
development banks. A complete list of his publications
and microfinance case studies.
read
more
Chris West, Deputy Director,Shell
Foundation, has responsibilities for the Shell Foundation’s
network of Pan-African SME funds. His business and development
experience encompasses work in over 60 developing countries
and emerging economies. The Shell Foundation’s report
Enterprise Solutions to Poverty was described by The
Times as “essential reading in Downing Street”. The
Foundation's Aspire facility, launched in 2006, is specifically
designed to help Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
in Africa, whose growth is often hampered by an inability
to obtain funding from risk-averse local banks.
read
more
Nikolaus Schultze joined the Syngenta
Foundation in 2005 as Head, Strategy. He has held a
number of positions in financial management and business
development in both private and public sectors. He recently
led the Private Sector and Capital Markets operations
of the International Fund for Agricultural Development
‘IFAD' in Rome.
read
more
Each year, on World Food Day, the Syngenta Foundation
invites internationally recognized experts to Basel,
Switzerland for guest lectures on subjects related to
increasing opportunity and choice for rural livelihood
improvement in resource poor areas. |
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