This edition features everything from posts about where the next microfinance crisis will likely strike to new articles from Jeff Sachs and Bill Easterly and much more.
- Cory Doctorow interviews Financial Times columnist Tim Harford about his new book Adapt
- David Roodman analyses data to pinpoint the next microfinance crisis, for the June edition of Beyond Profits
- Karuna Krishnaswamy examines “Microfinance in India: What caused the mass defaults in Karnataka and what can we learn from it?” for CGAP
- Interesting piece on customized mobile apps to connect the ultra-poor to funding opportunities
- New article from Karlan and Appel: “You Can't Always Get What You Want” for Foreign Policy
- From JPAL: Charging small fees dramatically reduces access to important products for the poor
- FAI’s Barbara Kiviat makes a call for better language: what does microfinance really mean?
- Contrary to Bill Easterly's thesis on economic growth under autocrats, Jeff Sachs looks to “Nigeria's Historic Opportunity" for development under a less autocratic ruler
- Microfinance Focus on microfinance for water and sanitation: lofty dream or wave of the future?
Editor’s Note: I’m going to assume that you are seeing plenty of AI content (news and papers, not AI slop, though I’m sure you’re getting plenty of that too) from other sources, so I’m trying to think hard about the marginal value that the faiV can provide. As far as I’ve gotten so far: a) make sure that directly AI-related content does not take up more than 2 of the 5 items, and b) try to focus specifically on the cybersecurity issue for financial inclusion. Beyond that, I’m open to feedback on the value you get from the faiV in relation to AI to help guide us in the future. On a different note, I’ll be making a brief cameo appearance at the e-MFP Inclusive Finance Conference to moderate the opening plenary. If you haven’t registered, do so and I hope to see you there! - Tim Ogden