The Rural Financial Intermediation Project II (RUFIP II) in Ethiopia (2012–2020) aimed to expand rural access to financial services by supporting financial institutions, strengthening regulations, and improving management capacity. An impact assessment using matching methods found that beneficiaries experienced a 43% increase in gross income, mainly from crop, livestock, and household enterprises. However, net income did not improve because higher production costs offset income gains. Participants also accumulated more household assets, increased livestock productivity, improved market participation, and showed greater resilience to economic and climate-related shocks. Dietary diversity improved modestly, although food security outcomes remained unchanged. Findings suggest that combining financial services with productivity-enhancing measures could increase profitability, diversification, employment creation, and overall development impact.
