Cultivating Prosperity: Verqor Aims to Revolutionize Agricultural Finance in Mexico 

Fintech for the People Season 8, Episode 4 featuring Valentina Rogacheva, Co-founder of Verqor 

Amee Parbhoo, Managing Partner of Accion Ventures, sits down with Valentina Rogacheva, Co-founder of Verqor, to explore the ways her company is tackling the significant gap in financial services for Mexico’s agricultural sector. Valentina shares the journey of identifying the deep-seated challenges farmers face, from the inefficiencies of traditional banking to the lack of products tailored to their needs. She explains how these obstacles push farmers towards informal credit and limit their potential for growth and economic mobility. 

Valentina details Verqor’s innovative fintech model, designed specifically for the agricultural ecosystem. By offering cashless, digital credit that can only be used for approved agricultural inputs, Verqor ensures the financing is used productively. She discusses their B2B2C strategy, partnering with crop buyers and retailers to mitigate risk, gathering crucial data for their alternative credit scoring model, and creating a transparent, resilient supply chain. Verqor’s approach not only results in an impressively low default rate but also embeds services like climate insurance, empowering farmers to increase their yields, adopt sustainable practices, and achieve greater financial stability. 

Episode highlights: 

• Addressing the financial exclusion of small and medium size farmers in rural Mexico. 
• Providing fast, accessible, and cashless digital credit tailored for the agricultural sector. 
• Embedding finance within the agricultural supply chain through a B2B2C model. 
• Mitigating risk and maintaining low default rates through strategic partnerships with crop buyers and suppliers. 
• Ensuring the productive use of credit by restricting it to the purchase of high-quality agricultural inputs. 
• Promoting higher yields, increased income, and sustainable farming practices through better inputs and climate insurance. 
• Building and motivating a team that bridges the gap between the traditionally non-digital agriculture industry and the innovative world of fintech. 
• The future vision for Verqor as a comprehensive financial partner for the entire agricultural value chain. 

To learn more about Verqor, visit their website. Learn more about Accion Ventures on our website and LinkedIn.