Volume 1, Number 3
October 1995
Credit Revisited
Manfred Zeller, an IFPRI
researcher in Malawi,
comments on the section
on credit and gender in
the previous newsletter
(Number 2). Following
up on the above
discussion of the
importance of context,
Manfred points out that, from his work, one does not
observe the disappropriation of female credit in
Madagascar. Decisions as to the use of small informal
loans is determined by those who take out the loan,
irrespective of gender. Larger, more formal loans for
the financing of seasonal inputs for major crops,
livestock purchases, or house maintenance/repairs are
jointly discussed and decided by the head of household
and spouse. Manfred is skeptical about the suggestion
of tying credit access to something like nutrition
education in order to circumvent male appropriation
of credit directed to women. Those who demand credit
may not be those who demand nutrition education.
Coupling the two services would increase the
transaction costs for those who have to sit in both
meetings but only demand one of the services.
Manfred points out that while the Grameen Bank and
BRAC do provide services such as nutrition education,
adult literacy, and vocational training, women are not
required to avail themselves of these services in order
to get access to credit. We would be interested in
hearing from others about the success of programs that
attempt to make access to credit (or other inputs)
contingent upon the receipt of nutrition/health
education.
