Earlier CGAP research based on global evidence identified six universal principles to expanding rural agent networks at the last mile. However, how these principles are applied seems to vary from country to country. CGAP and its partners sought to understand how policymakers, regulators, and providers have expanded rural agent networks. The exploration would also validate principles identified studied five financial markets—China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, and Kenya. These countries have significantly expanded their rural agent networks despite very different contexts. Each of the attached slide decks provides a detailed analysis, which is the basis for the CGAP publication “Agent network journeys toward the last mile: A cross-country perspective.”
Agent lifecycle – Interactive PDF
The deck summarizes the journey of a CICO agent through a lifecycle approach and the challenges that providers and agents face at each stage. It also discusses how MSC is trying to address these challenges through its interventions.
Pilot for development of the network of banking agents for GUILGAL
Implementation of a pilot project for banking agents to decongest branches, reduce the time spent by customers on operations, recruit new customers, and launch innovative services.
Support for the development of a strategy for the establishment of the AGRICASH agents network for agriculture bank
AgriCash is La Banque Agricole’s digital platform. It works to diversify its commercial offer, contribute to financial inclusion, and strengthen its leadership in agricultural value chains. AgriCash works through a network of agents who rely on the bank’s existing partners to bring its services closer to rural areas. A pilot phase of AgriCash is underway in the north of Senegal in the rice sector and should contribute to the digitization of producer payments via AgriCash points.
Pilot for development of the network of banking agents for VisionFund
VisionFund DRC launched an agent network project to get closer to its customers in the provinces and rural areas. The project’s current phase relied on a partnership with mPESA to use its agents and deploy a USSD platform to offer new services to its customers via other agent networks. Merchant payment was operational for customer credit reimbursement. The bulk payment pilot for the provision of credit was being piloted via mobile money. The USSD platform was in development. The implementation of this project marked VisionFund’s entry into digital financial services and would allow its clients to stay in touch with the institution anywhere. At the close of the project, the agents and teams were expected to be trained.
“Airtel Payment Bank – Behavioral communication to encourage small deposits at agent points “
APB has been striving to serve the rural LMI segment with innovative product offerings. It designed the “Bharosa” (trust) account specifically to attract small savings from rural women. However, the customer footfall in APB’s agent outlets did not rise as expected. With women mostly indoors and busy with household chores, APB’s current communication strategy proved inadequate to relay the product features effectively to this target segment.
MSC helped APB design communication that could nudge rural women to open Bharosa accounts and start small savings at its agent outlets.