Concept note of the seminar in Latvia “Facilitating access to finance for rural micro-enterprises”, 28thJune, 2012.
General objective:
Raise awareness on the necessary measures to facilitate access to finance for rural micro-enterprises.
Specific objectives:
1) To study the role of rural networks to improve access to finance and project sustainability in rural areas;
2) To develop proposals for support measures and their implementation mechanisms EAFRD 2014-2020 period in order to promote access to finance for rural micro-enterprises.
Participants: Network Support Units, Managing authorities, rural finance experts and practitioners.
By the end of the seminar:
• Participants had gained an overview of market failures (gap between funding supply and demand) in rural finance.
• Practical examples/best practices were explored on how NRN’s can promote access to finance and project sustainability in rural areas.
• Experiences of experts and practitioners were exchanged and a contribution made to the ongoing process of the preparation EAFRD support to improve access to finance for rural micro-enterprises.
Methodology Visualised presentations of studies, best practices, etc. Plenary and working group discussions.
Plenary Sessions The plenary sessions will provide an overview of market failures (gap between funding supply and demand) in rural finance, experience of several rural networks as facilitating access to finance for rural entrepreneurs, current status of the preparation 2014-2020 EAFRD support concerning financial engineering.
Working Groups: Working Groups will further develop the concepts advanced in the plenary sessions. The discussions centred around:
(i) Exchange of experience and proposals for NRN’s in process of building bridge between supply and demand and promotion of project sustainability;
(ii) Preparation proposals for support measures and their implementation mechanisms EAFRD;
(iii) Integrating implementation mechanisms of ERDF and EAFRD.
Facilitators for the Working Groups were chosen from among the invited resource persons. ENRD staff acted as reporters. The findings of each group were reported back to the plenary session.
Working Language: English
Dalība seminārā tikai reģistrētiem dalībniekiem. Lūdzam reģistrēties dalībai seminārā līdz 18. jūnijam. Reģistrācijas formu varat meklēt šeit: http://laukutikls.lv/seminar_eafrd
Draft agenda for the seminar:
8:00-9:00 Registration and coffee
9:00 – 9:30 Introduction and welcome speech
Ministry of Agriculture of Latvia, ENRD
9:30 – 9:55 Needs of rural entrepreneurs for sustainable business development
Oscar Kjellberg, Swedish Rural network support unit
9:55-10:15 Business start up in rural areas – needs challenges, obstacles
TBA
10:15 – 10:35 Microcredits for facilitation of rural women business development and self-employment
Maiga Krūzmētra, Latvian Rural Women Association
10:35-11:00 Coffee break
11:00-11:20 Equity Fund – France’s CIGALES
TBA
11:20-11:40 Rural Credit Society
Fortunatas Dirgincius Chairman of the board, Lithuanian Central Credit Union
11:40-12:00 Guarantee Fund Romania TBA
12:00-12:30 Panel discussions
Presenters of Financial Instruments
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30-14:30 Opportunities to facilitate use of different Financial Instruments
• Networking
• Training
• Mentoring
Edgars Linde – Latvian NRNSU,
Nils Lagerroth and Leo Padazakos – Swedish NRNSU,
Italian Rural Network Support Unit
14:30-14:50 New RDP regulation proposals on FI
TBA
14:50-15:20 Coffee break
15:20-15:30 Introduction of work groups
15:30-16:30 Work groups:
• Implementing Rules on EAFRD funding (Italian NRNSU)
• Local financing (Swedish NRNSU)
• Financial readiness schemes (Hungarian NRNSU)
• Support for start-ups (Latvian NRNSU)
