VSLA (Village Savings and Loan Association) membership refers to individuals who voluntarily join a self-managed group within their community to save, borrow, and support each other financially. Within the Agrcocenta context VSLAs can exist either as groups within cooperatives or outside cooperatives but within communities. In cases where the VSLAs exist outside a cooperative, the VSLAs will be created and managed by non-cooperative field agents.
| Eligibility Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| Community-Based | Members typically come from the same locality or village to foster trust. |
| Voluntary Participation | Membership is optional but requires agreement to the group's constitution and rules. |
| Age Limit | Most VSLAs admit individuals aged 18 years and above. |
| Income Activity | Members usually engage in income-generating activities (e.g., farming, petty trading) that enable consistent contributions. |
Within the Agrocenta context, VSLA members must already be farmers enrolled on to the platform. An agent should ONLY add members to a VSLA from within the VSLA. Below are the details to collect when joining a VSLA
| Field | Required/Optional | Validation/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Farmer name | Required | Select from a list of farmers either in the region or in the cooperative, depending on the type of agent |
| Designation | Required | Pick one of the following: president, secretary, treasurer, organizer, member |
A farmer can belong to multiple VSLAs, and this is a fairly common practice. The model is designed to be flexible and member-driven, allowing individuals to participate in more than one group based on their needs and circumstances.
Diversification of Savings
Farmers may wish to spread their savings across different groups to reduce risk and increase financial discipline.
Access to More Credit
Loan amounts are typically limited to a multiple of one’s shareholding in a single VSLA. Belonging to multiple groups allows a farmer to access more credit when needed.
Scheduling Flexibility
Different VSLAs may meet on different days. Farmers can participate in groups whose schedules align with their farming or market activities.
Social Ties and Community Engagement
A farmer may simultaneously belong to:
Each group serves different social and financial purposes.
Increased Financial Resilience
If one group has limited funds or denies a loan request, the farmer can still seek support from another group they belong to.
| Role/Responsibility | Description |
|---|---|
| Saving | Members are expected to save regularly by buying shares during each meeting. |
| Borrowing | Eligible members can take loans from the group's pooled funds. |
| Meeting Attendance | Active participation in regular meetings is mandatory. |
| Voting Rights | Every member has an equal vote in group decisions. |
| Social Fund Contribution | Members contribute to an emergency fund used for unforeseen group support. |
New members are registered and trained on rules and procedures. This training usually happens during meetings. An active member or a member in good standing is one who participates in savings, loans, meetings, and group activities. Members are eligible to exit after a savings cycle or by notifying the group. Before exiting, members can collect their accrued savings and profits.
To ensure smooth operations, members agree to fines for:
In This Document
