Segmentation of Smallholder Households: Meeting the Range of Financial Needs in Agricultural Families

This paper examines the challenge of providing financial services that support the multiple goals of rural households, including those related to their more universal, general household needs and those linked to their agricultural activities. Following an overview of the policy and business case focused on smallholders and their agricultural activities, the paper proposes a segmentation framework comprising of three segments for the 500 million smallholders in low- and middle-income countries characterizing their demand for financial services related to agricultural activities.