Posted by Willy Foote  |  August 5, 2015

When I envision how to make agriculture work for the world, I think of a system that feeds the global population of nine billion that is expected by 2050 — especially those in cycles of chronic hunger and malnutrition. I think of better farming practices that increase yields and productivity, and that dramatically improve incomes for small-scale producers and the rural poor. I think of an enlightened food industry, as locally based as possible, that creates good jobs across every value chain and protects fragile ecosystems and biodiversity everywhere. And I think of agriculture as a crucial equalizer of opportunity for women and girls, one that provides dignity for the most marginalized populations on earth.   Visiting with coffee farmers on the shores of Lake Kivu in western Rwanda

Topics: Climate Action | News and Announcements | Partnerships |

Posted by Lauren Baum  |  July 20, 2015

Over the last year or so, our Advisory Services team has been experimenting with different ways in which we can continue to increase the participation of women in our various financial management and technical assistance workshops around the world. Recently, we had the chance to sit down with Charles Maina, our financial advisory coordinator for East Africa, to hear about the innovative approach he and his team have been piloting among our Advisory clients in Uganda and Rwanda.

Topics: Advisory Services | Africa | Gender Equity | News and Announcements |

Posted by Lauren Baum  |  July 6, 2015

Inversión con un enfoque en la igualdad de género. Half the Sky.  HeForShe. Lean In. Durante los últimos años el empoderamiento económico de las mujeres se ha convertido en un tema predominante entre periodistas, profesionales del desarrollo internacional, inversionistas y empresas internacionales por igual. A pesar de que el interés en estos temas de la igualdad de género ha ido creciendo significativamente, David Lozano, quien trabaja en México como Coordinador de servicios de asesoría financiera para Root Capital, ya había iniciado a dedicar su trabajo a esta problemática desde hace 20 años, analizando el impacto que las desigualdades de género tienen en las personas, en las familias y en las comunidades en general.

Topics: Advisory Services | Gender Equity | Mexico and Central America | News and Announcements |

Posted by Lauren Baum  |  July 2, 2015

Half the Sky. Gender-lens investing. HeforShe. Lean In. Over the last several years, women’s economic empowerment has become a prevalent theme among journalists, international development practitioners, investors, and global companies alike. While mainstream interest in these issues has only recently piqued, Chiapas-based David Lozano, Root Capital’s Financial Advisory Services Coordinator for Mexico, has spent the last 20 years exploring gender inequality and its impact on individuals, families, and communities throughout the country.

Topics: Advisory Services | Gender Equity | Mexico and Central America | News and Announcements |

Posted by Elizabeth Teague  |  March 3, 2015

One year ago, we published our inaugural issue brief on the emerging business case for financial institutions to conduct due diligence on the social and environmental practices of their borrowers and investees. To stimulate a broader dialogue on the topic, we also released the social and environmental scorecards that Root Capital loan officers use to evaluate the performance of our clients: small and growing businesses (SGBs) that aggregate and serve thousands of smallholder farmers.

Topics: Advisory Services | Climate Action | News and Announcements |

Posted by Catherine Gill  |  February 2, 2015

We wanted to make sure you saw that you saw David Brooks' recent New York Times Op-Ed on impact investing. This as an important validation of the support you, Root Capital's investors, donors and friends provide, and the impact that this special blend of capital achieves.

Topics: News and Announcements |

Posted by Root Capital  |  January 22, 2015

We recently sat down with Kevin Starr, managing director of the Mulago Foundation and the Rainer Arnhold Fellows Program, both of which are focused on scalable solutions to meet the basic needs of the very poor. Kevin also teaches and mentors fellows in numerous other programs for social entrepreneurs and serves as the chairman of Big Bang Philanthropy, a group of funders working together to direct more money to those best at fighting poverty. In our interview, Kevin talks about the Mulago Foundation's history with Root Capital and the "ah-ha" moment that provided him greater insight into the catalytic role of agricultural finance.

Topics: News and Announcements |

Posted by Root Capital  |  December 22, 2014

Our next 15 Voices interview is with Rosario Castellon, Root Capital's former senior loan officer in Nicaragua.  Born and raised in the rural town of Condega, Nicaragua, Rosario co-founded the country’s first fair trade coffee cooperative in the early 1990s.  She went on to run supplier relations for sustainable business pioneer Equal Exchange before joining Oxfam, where she led a groundbreaking collaboration between Mexico’s largest farmer cooperative, Oxfam, Starbucks and the Ford Foundation.  In 2005, Rosario brought her incredible experience and deep commitment to farm families to Root Capital as a senior loan officer. During her nine-year tenure at Root Capital from 2005 - 2014, Rosario helped build our operations in Latin America, bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to advance our mission. 

Topics: News and Announcements |

Posted by Benjamin Schmerler  |  December 3, 2014

If you’ve ever been to Peru, you know that there’s almost a magical energy that permeates the country. The colors, the food, the crazy geographical diversity, the cultural heritage, pride and resilience of its remarkable people – although I’ve been to Peru many times, its novelty truly never fades and my love for it grows deeper with each plate of ceviche. A few weeks ago, I accompanied a small group of Root Capital investors on a trip to the Peruvian countryside, getting a first-hand perspective of Root Capital’s impact by visiting coffee clients and a potential nut client in the San Martin region in the central Andes. As I boarded my flight home, I left feeling inspired and energized by the things we saw, the stories we heard, and the people we met. I think we all did. Here are a few memorable moments from the trip: 

Topics: Client Spotlight | News and Announcements | South America |

Posted by Root Capital  |  November 29, 2014

Bonnie Cockman (left) on a client visit in Chiapas, Mexico As Root Capital’s former SVP of Finance & Operations, Bonnie was instrumental in building the foundation of Root Capital’s “back office” functions, laying the groundwork for our growth and success.  During her seven years at Root Capital, the organization grew from 25 staff members to 125, and increased annual lending from $30 million to $115 million. Prior to joining Root Capital, Bonnie worked as the VP of Finance for Conservation International. She currently serves as at two climate advocacy organizations, as Board Chair of Better Future Project and Managing Director of Mothers Out Front. 

Topics: News and Announcements |