Management by objectives in times of crisis
With the COVID-19 crisis, economies around the world have been plunged into uncertainty, and financial institutions with them. For microfinance institutions, making it through the crisis means maintaining and keeping client relationships as a priority.
The natural link between an institution and its clients is, quite evidently, its network, and in particular, loan officers and their supervisors, who will be referred to later in the article as “field officers”.
How to manage the motivation of field agents in COVID time?
Has Covid19 just unlocked digital transformation in agriculture?
From input ordering to agro-extension services, distribution and sales, digital solutions have helped farmers across the continent to stay in agriculture despite the stringent lock-down measures to deal with Covid19. The pandemic has had immense disruption in supply chains across major value chains and in most cases impacted not only production and productivity, but made it difficult to trade as traditional market practices, travels have been altered due to social barrier measures to avoid crowding that increases the spread of the virus. In the middle of this crisis, developers have had the opportunity to bring out digital solutions to address the needs of value chain actors across the value chains of major crops.
The will of microfinance institutions to maintain their activities during Covid-19 crisis
ADA, Inpulse and the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation have collaborated to monitor and analyse the effects of the Covid-19 crisis for their partner microfinance institutions worldwide. This monitoring was carried out regularly throughout the year 2020 in order to have a better vision of the situation’s evolution. Through this regular and in-depth analysis, we hope to contribute, at our level, to the construction of strategies and solutions tailored to the needs of our partners, as well as to the diffusion and exchange of information between the different players in the sector.
Signature of the headquarters agreement between MAIN & the Government of Togo
Since February 2011, MAIN has officially opened offices in Togo. After signing several program agreements with the government, the decision was taken to submit a proposal for signing headquarters agreement between MAIN and the Government of the Togo Republic.
Thus, on December 08th, 2020, this solemn signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Togolese of Abroad. The Minister was represented at the said ceremony by his General Secretary, Mr. Kommabou FANDJINOU and MAIN by his Charmain, Mr. Yombo ODANOU.
The ceremony took place in 3 phases. First with the initialing and signing of the agreement by both parties. Secondly the respective speeches of the Minister of Foreign Affairs represented by his General Secretary for the occasion and the one for the chairman of MAIN. Both speakers underlined in their speech the importance of such an agreement for MAIN and the contribution of the network to the National Development Plan of Togo. And finally, a cocktail was offered for the occasion by MAIN to the guests. This was an occasion for informal discussion which allowed us to better understand the whys and wherefores of this agreement. The signing of this agreement gives privileges to the network and in the years to come MAIN will be able to organize major meetings in Togo.
Upcoming Events
- Event: Cash management in crisis times
Type: Training
Location: Lome-Togo
Date: March 22-24, 2021
Organizer: MAIN
- Event: Digital Transformation in Microfinance Institutions
Type: Training
Location: Lome-Togo
Date: April 2021
Organizer: MAIN
- Event: MFIs’ Financial and Social performance evaluation «Let speak your numbers»
Type: Training
Location: Ouagadougou- Burkina-Faso
Date: May
Organizer: MAIN
- Event: Coaching in Financial Education
Type: Technical Assistance
Location: Burkina- Faso & Togo
Date: May- June
Organizer: MAIN
