There are many reasons why people invest, whether it’s long-term goals like retirement or harnessing the power of compound interest to earn more money. Impact investments are made with the intent to improve social and environmental standards while generating profit. Global challenges, such as affordable basic services and sustainable agriculture, are motivating issues for many people.
Read moreEquity Crowdfunding in Agriculture - Connecting Women Around The World
The female farmer may be regarded as a rarity, but we know women play a larger role in agriculture production than many think. Worldwide, more than 564 million women participate in agriculture, and nearly half of the agricultural labor force in developing countries is female. In the same stride, 30% of U.S. farmers are women, yet the face of farming is typically that of a man. Women make a strong contribution to food security and nutrition, at both the household and community levels.
Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, female farmer production is limited by barriers to finance, inputs, and extension services, as well as land ownership and rights. A common problem for most farmers in developing countries is limited access to capital, like bank loans. A recent solution developed to fill that gap is equity crowdfunding.
Read more4 Reasons Why Millennial Women Should Begin Investing Early
According to Franklin Templeton Investments' survey of investors, 60% of Millennial women would delay retirement if they were unable to retire as planned due to insufficient funds. On average, working Americans expect to retire at age 66, reports U.S. News, but the actual average retirement age has hovered around 60 for the past decade or so. So why are young adults expecting to retire so late, and willing to relay that retirement even more, if there's something Millennials can do about it now? Here are four reasons why it's important for Millennial women to begin investing early.
Read moreHelp Feed the World: Impact Investing in Agriculture
Impact investing has become increasingly popular within the last decade. The growing impact investment market provides capital to address and help find a solution for the world’s most pressing challenges in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, conservation, microfinance, and affordable and accessible basic services including housing, healthcare, and education. These investments tackle global challenges that were previously supported by philanthropic donations, which are still important, but missing a monetary return component. Impact investing offers diverse and viable opportunities for investors to advance social and environmental solutions through investments that also produce financial returns.
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