By Elizabeth Robberechts The Atacama Desert is among the driest regions on earth, with minimal cloud cover and high levels of solar radiation, making it the ideal place for Chile to harvest solar energy. To help the country tap into this potential, the IDB and the Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector in the Americas are providing long-term financing to build the … [Read more...] about Solar power plants in the chilean desert
What does and doesn't work in development
Lending and Green Financing for Small Businesses in Colombia
By José Juan Gomes, Álvaro Concha, María Netto Nearly all of the estimated 1.6 million businesses in Colombia are micro, small, or medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Across the board, if you ask owners of these firms what the biggest challenge is to grow their businesses, the answer is almost unanimous: access to credit. Growth of MSMEs is critical to the Colombian economy … [Read more...] about Lending and Green Financing for Small Businesses in Colombia
Public Seed Investment: A Formula for Innovation in Peru
By Juan Carlos Navarro Imagine a trip to your local supermarket where you don’t have to pay extra for a package of antibiotic-free chicken breast. It may be coming sooner than you think thanks to a technological innovation program in Peru. San Fernando, Peru’s leading poultry and pork processing firm, has developed the world’s first plant-based food additive that supports … [Read more...] about Public Seed Investment: A Formula for Innovation in Peru
Bringing Clean Water to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti
By Thierry Delaunay With the help of local water engineers, Haiti's water utility (Centre Technique d’Exploitation – CTE) is steadily expanding its connections and customer base, connecting more and more people to clean water. … [Read more...] about Bringing Clean Water to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti
Technological Innovation Program Boosts Competitiveness in Paraguay
By Pablo Javier Angelelli Up until recently, Paraguay had one of the lowest investment rates in scientific research and technological innovation of any Latin America and Caribbean country reaching to less that 0.1% of GDP. The country also lacked trained professionals to develop research activities and innovation projects. That is rapidly changing, however, as innovation … [Read more...] about Technological Innovation Program Boosts Competitiveness in Paraguay