Microfinance for Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (MEbA)

In Latin America, the implementation of adaptation strategies at the local level was difficult, because there were only a handful of approaches aimed at achieving this goal. This is why smallholders in particular were strongly affected by the impacts of climate change. Therefore, the project sought to support the development and dissemination of microfinance products such as small loans, which were used for climate change adaptation in the affected regions. To this end, the project built up know-how on ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in the microfinance institutions (MFIs). Using the instruments that have already been developed, the MFIs autonomously granted loans that enabled investments in EbA and increased the income of the borrowers. The project, implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme Panama, also worked with governments and development banks to create a favourable environment for the expansion of the approach.

Project data

Countries: Benin, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Madagascar, Peru, Senegal
IKI funding: 4,882,952.45 €
Duration: 01/2012 till 12/2020
Status: completed
Implementing organisation: United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) - Panama
Political Partner: Ministry for Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) - Senegal

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development - Colombia

Ministry of Environment (MINAM) - Peru

Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) - Costa Rica

Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) - El Salvador

Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MinAmbiente) - Colombia

Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development - Madagascar

Ministry of Living Environment and Sustainable Development (MCVDD) - Benin

National Council for Climate Change and the Clean Development Mechanism - Dominican Republic
Implementing Partner: Frankfurt School of Finance & Management gGmbH

Fundecooperación para el Desarrollo Sostenible / Fundcooperation for sustainable development – Costa Rica

Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Foundation (GCAMF) - Luxemburg

Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO)
Online: http://unepmeba.org/

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State of implementation/results

Project completed.

As of June 2020, 17,384 credits have been disbursed by partner Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), amounting to USD 28.9 million (€ 25.8 million) of private investment towards EbA. Some 2,216 MFI staff members have been sensitized on key aspects of the MEbA project.
Fundecooperación showcased the MEbA project in their series of virtual field days, in which partners of the MEbA demonstration farms explained the advantages of investing in EbA options.
MEbA has its own Youtube channel, which hosts all videos produced by the project.
On September 17, together with Bancóldex, MEbA organized a virtual co-creation workshop entitled “Green and resilient economic recovery – Leadership opportunities from the microfinance sector”.
On September 23, the MEbA project was presented in the webinar Sustainable Microfinance, organized by UN-REDD.
In June 2021, the project was granted the UNEP Kipepeo Award in the Environmental Impact category.

Latest Update:
04/2025