Small businesses are the engines of a fair and green economy. But they lack access to the finance they need to grow. A new report from the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) looks at the barriers that small business face. These include risky and informal money lending arrangements, high bars for accessing credit, regulatory hurdles, and a lack of information on how to access finance. The report includes case studies from countries such as India, Peru, Senegal, Uganda and South Africa. The South African case study looks at the Seeds for Life Farm Primary Cooperative.
The report draws on research and work conducted by GEC members: Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (Trinidad and Tobago), Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (Uganda), Development Alternatives (India), Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (South Africa), Libélula (Peru), Foro Nacional Internacional (Peru), Innovations Environnement Développement Afrique (Senegal), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (Senegal) and the Economic Policy and Competitiveness Research Center (Mongolia).
Download the report or read online:
Main Report: Small is powerful
Case Study: South Africa