Some 30 years have passed since the paradigm of public funding of agriculture faded, in favour of a liberalised market economy, under pressure from the Bretton Woods institutions and as a result of structural adjustment plans. States started downsizing by divesting heavily from certain sectors such as agriculture. It was the beginning of the microfinance boom; however, microfinance was soon shown to be of limited suitability for the specific needs of rural and agricultural production.