Emilio Hernandez

Senior Financial Sector Specialist

Emilio Hernandez explores digital financial solutions for last-mile customers. He leads work on innovations that make digital financial systems more impactful in achieving top development goals, especially food security; implementation of foundational building blocks for inclusive finance, like Digital Public Infrastructure and inclusive agent networks; and on new methods to measure the impact financial inclusion has on poor people’s lives to inform more effective policies.

Before joining CGAP, Emilio led technical cooperation programs focused on inclusive rural and agricultural finance at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations overseeing field interventions in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. He also oversaw business operations for a large international agricultural technology company throughout Central and South America. 

He has a Doctorate degree in Agricultural Economics and Development Finance from The Ohio State University.

By Emilio Hernandez

Research

Enhancing Food Security through Finance-Enabled Food Systems Transformation

This working paper examines how inclusive finance can address today's evolving food security challenges by unlocking targeted investments in high-impact agricultural value chains that best promote nutritional, sustainability, and livelihood outcomes through agricultural technology (AgTech) adoption.
Blog

CGAP’s Take: How Can Inclusive Finance Tackle Food Security?

Food security is a complex and multidimensional issue. CGAP's new framework aims to improve food security through inclusive finance by targeting key agricultural chains, AgTech, and tailored services for low-income communities.
Blog

Financial Inclusion 2.0: Generating New Evidence to Maximize Impact

Despite extensive research, the financial inclusion sector still lacks a clear understanding of what works, when, and for whom. Financial services' impact varies widely, highlighting the need for new research and more nuanced insights.
Blog

How Can Regulators Enable Last-Mile Agent Networks?

Extensive and inclusive cash-in/cash-out (CICO) agent networks are key to ensuring DFS access in rural areas. Regulators play an essential role here by enabling DFS providers to innovate agent network models that are sustainable in rural areas.
Blog

Cash vs. Digital? Unleashing the Power of DFS through Agent Networks

The rise of DFS has sparked debate on cash's future in developing economies. But, despite increasing adoption of DFS, cash prevails in most global economies, emphasizing agent networks' crucial role as enablers rather than disruptors.