In low-income countries, disasters induced by climate change are giving rise to new risks, shocks, and stresses among already vulnerable households. Well-designed financial products and services could play a role in increasing low-income families’ resilience by helping them prepare for the uncertain: financial inclusion can facilitate efforts to reduce risks, increase investments, and bounce back from shocks more quickly.

Yet, neither the potential of financial products and services for increasing resilience, nor the most effective designs and delivery mechanisms, are fully understood. Closer collaborations between researchers and decision-makers in the resilience space could shed new light on these questions.

This seminar will therefore provide a space to discuss effective strategies for building resilience through financial inclusion, and make a call for more research on this urgent challenge.

Research by IFPRI and IPA on this topic is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM).

Opening Remarks

• Frank Place, Director of CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets, IFPRI (Video)

Overview of Evidence and Research Gaps 

• Berber Kramer, Research Fellow, IFPRI (Presentation | Video)

Panelists

• Mayada El-Zoghbi, Lead of Strategy, Research, and Development, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) (Presentation | Video)
• Olga Petryniak, Senior Director for Resilience, Mercy Corps (Presentation | Video)
• Jordi Renart, Strategic Coordination Advisor, World Food Program (WFP) (Presentation | Video)

Moderator

• Radha Rajkotia, Chief Research and Policy Officer, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)
• Q&A Video