Back Roads to BoardRooms

Deepening Resilience in Rural Communities: Results from Root Capital’s Second COVID-19 Survey

Posted by Root Capital | September 14, 2020

During this global pandemic, one of the most glaring shortages is access to reliable information. That’s particularly true in the rural communities where we work. As public health and economic responses focus on the concerns of dense, urban areas, rural communities are being left behind. But it’s impossible to design an effective response in these communities without information on how…

Building Business Capacity from Afar: A Q&A With Root Capital Advisor Ousmane Sané

Posted by Root Capital | August 3, 2020

Root Capital’s innovative advisory services are powered by our talented team of advisory consultants. These trainers work closely with agricultural businesses to address the day-to-day challenges of running a remote enterprise. Working together, they build skills and processes that foster growth and resilience in the long term. One of these advisors is Ousmane Sané, known as Sané, who’s been a…

Root Capital and DFC Invest in Rural Women Through the 2X Challenge

Posted by Katie Naeve and Charity Wallace | July 22, 2020

When you run a small enterprise in a rural community, it’s difficult to access the financing you need to grow. If you’re a woman running one of these enterprises, it’s even harder. The International Finance Corporation estimates that up to 70% of women-owned enterprises in emerging markets are overlooked by lenders. These women-owned enterprises face a…

Un futuro más sostenible para las abejas—y los apicultores—en el sur de México

Posted by Root Capital | June 26, 2020

En la península de Yucatán, México, ubicada lejos del mar, la ciudad de Cacaptxa está llena de abejas. En esta comunidad maya, la miel es más que un negocio, es un punto de referencia cultural. Muchas familias han criado abejas durante generaciones. Algunos aún recuerdan cuando la miel se usaba en lugar de las visitas al médico para cerrar las…

Preserving Lives and Livelihoods: An Update on Our COVID-19 Response

Posted by Root Capital | June 23, 2020

As the COVID-19 crisis unfolds, we believe that saving lives must go hand in hand with preserving livelihoods. Agricultural businesses can play a key role in reaching the most vulnerable populations with creative, rapid responses that build long-term resilience. In a survey of our client businesses, we found they are struggling to manage their cash flow…

A More Sustainable Future for Bees—and their Keepers—in Southern Mexico

Posted by Root Capital | June 23, 2020

On Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, nestled far from the sea, the town of Kankabchen is teeming with honeybees. In this Maya community, honey is more than just a business—it’s a cultural touchstone. Families have raised bees for generations. Some can still remember when honey was used in place of doctors’ visits to close wounds and treat cataracts. Lidia Maribel Moo Poot…

Harvesting Under Quarantine: One Co-op’s Creative Approach

Posted by Root Capital | June 17, 2020

As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of resilient, farmer-focused agricultural enterprises have never been clearer. For example, in Colombia, Root Capital client Federación Campesina del Cauca (FCC) is helping its farmers adapt to social distancing and other restrictions during the all-important coffee harvest season. Sustainable Harvest, one of FCC’s largest buyers and a Root…

Black Lives Matter: A Personal Statement from Root Capital’s Founder and CEO

Posted by Willy Foote | June 9, 2020

In the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans at the hands of the police, people across the United States have come together calling for the end of systemic racism and police brutality. We at Root Capital stand in solidarity with them. Change begins in recognizing the underheard voices of the vulnerable and the…

Latest Findings About Root Capital’s Impact on Rural Livelihoods

Posted by Isabel DoCampo | May 21, 2020

Note: This blog is the final post in a four-part series exploring how Root Capital measures and manages the impact of our lending. Read parts one, two, and three. Impact measurement and management is at the heart of Root Capital’s work, helping us optimize our efforts to transform rural communities. By measuring our impact, we…

An Update on Root Capital’s COVID-19 Response

Posted by Frances Reid | April 24, 2020

It has been five weeks since we closed the Root Capital offices and switched to remote work across the globe. First and foremost, I’m grateful to report the good health of our team and clients and wish the same for you and your loved ones.