Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Regional

Loans for farmers and entrepreneurs in rural Bolivia

Bolivia

Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Regional (CIDRE) is a microfinance institution providing loans to farmers and entrepreneurs. CIDRE was founded in 1981.

CIDRE’s clients are micro and small entrepreneurs and farmers, living in rural and semi-urban areas. CIDRE offers various loan products as working capital or investment. It supports growing businesses such as those in trade, traditional crafts, services and other activities.

CIDRE is a well-structured organization with branches in important rural areas. It has started working with microfinance organizations’ Client Protection Principles as a means to improve its social performance.

Given its organizational type, CIDRE cannot provide deposits or savings accounts. It is therefore dependent on other forms of financing. CIDRE will use Oikocredit’s loan to provide more loans to borrowers. In future, it aims to obtain full certification for providing savings products.

In 2010, CIDRE received the ‘Mix Market Transparency Certificate 5 Diamonds Rating’. In 2011, it received Oikocredit capacity building assistance to improve its risk management policies, procedures and tools, and to train its staff in risk management procedures and tools.