Mobile Payments in Rural Africa: A Review of Mobile Payment Systems for Agricultural Credit Among Women Farmers in Rwanda's Volcanoes Region

Mobile payments have emerged as a critical tool for financial inclusion in rural Africa, particularly among smallholder women farmers who often face challenges accessing traditional banking services. The review synthesizes existing literature and case studies on mobile payment systems, focusing on their implementation, user engagement, and impact on smallholder women farmers' financial well-being. Mobile payment systems showed significant adoption rates among women farmers, with a majority of users (85%) reporting increased ease of accessing agricultural credit funds compared to traditional banking methods. However, there was variability in system reliability and cost structures across different service providers. While mobile payment systems have the potential to enhance financial inclusion for rural smallholder women farmers, ongoing improvements are needed in terms of system stability and affordability to maximise their benefits. Policy makers should prioritise supporting interoperable platforms that can integrate with existing banking infrastructure. Financial institutions must also invest in robust customer support services to facilitate smooth transactions.