May 2025�
Brought to you by ANDE Asia Climate and Environmental Learning Lab
Climate Finance in Action:
Regional Perspectives and Practical Solutions
ANDE’s Learning Labs are neutral convening spaces for diverse practitioners to share best practices and new research, discuss hot topics, and learn from one another. The Labs also offer a venue for joint research or action on key issues.
They are designed to facilitate active learning, experimentation, collaboration, and problem solving allowing participants to gain practical skills and knowledge through real-world scenarios.
What is ANDE’s Learning Lab?
Speakers
Starlene Sharma
Green Artha
Ed Tongson
WWF Philippines
Sabha Khawaja
Habitat for Humanity
� Ananya Saini
ANDE South Asia
(Moderator)
Speaker
Starlene Sharma
Co-founder and Managing Partner, Green Artha
Speaker
Director, Sweef Capital
Ed Tongson
Sustainable Finance Consultant,WWF Philippines
How can value chains mitigate climate change risks to small farmers?
Edgardo E. Tongson
Sustainable Finance Consultant
WWF-Ph
Why climate change matters to small farmers?
Smallholder farmers are often:
Jollibee Group Foundation: A case study
Price premium to VC farmer:
Cabbage: PhP 3.00 to 8.00
Pechay: PhP 5.00 – 8.00 to 10.00
Eggplant: PhP 15.00 to 20.00
Onions: PhP 80.00 to 100.00
Lessons
Well-structured value chains create an ecosystem where smallholders are not left to face climate shocks alone. Instead, risks are shared, managed, and reduced through collaboration, innovation, and investment.
Sources:
Farmers Entrepreneurship Program, Jollibee Group Foundation
https://foundation.jollibeegroup.com/programs/farmer-entrepreneurship-program
Capacio, Jane Lynn & De Dios, Emmanuel, 2018. "Breaking barriers in agricultural financing: Enhancing the resilience of agriculture value chains through interlinked inclusive financing models," Discussion Papers CIDS-DP-18-007, Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://cids.up.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Breaking-barriers-in-agriculture-financing.pdf
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Speaker
Sabha Khawaja
Director of Regional Operations for the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter – Southeast Asia, Habitat for Humanity
Climate Finance for Resilient Housing
Session 4 of Asia Climate & Environment Learning Lab
ANDE South Asia
May 20, 2025
The world needs to build 96,000 new affordable homes every day to house the estimated 3 billion people who will need access to adequate housing by 2030.
THE NEED
Worldwide, 2.8 billion people� live in inadequate housing.
13
Climate Finance for Resilient Housing – Why It Matters?
An estimated US$16 trillion is needed to deliver decent homes worldwide, with over 80% expected from private sector.
*Source: UN-Habitat
THE PROBLEM
Perceived high risks deter private investments in affordable housing, especially in emerging markets
THE SOLUTION
THE GOAL
Make climate-resilient housing bankable and investable
Implementing de-risking strategies to attract and mobilize private capital. Tool Habitat’s Terwilliger Center uses:
Microfinance = A Climate Resilience Tool
TCIS has partnered with some of the leading foundations, donors and investors in the financial inclusion sector who see the climate resilience role of MFIs
Worked with diverse groups of financial service providers
TCIS provides technical assistance to MFIs to integrate climate goals of housing into products.
Many poor families build homes incrementally; microloans enable safe upgrades.
Green housing loans fund: rainwater systems, solar lighting, insulation, etc.
With a fund size of US$100 million over 10 years, MicroBuild provided funds and advisory support to microfinance institutions offering home improvement or construction loans to low-income households.
Through MicroBuild, Habitat demonstrated the demand and viability of affordable housing finance in emerging markets. Most of the Fund's investees have embraced housing as a critical part of their portfolios and have mobilized a cumulative US$1.09 billion to grow their housing portfolios.
IMPACT OF THE FIRST MICROBUILD FUND
From the original goal of a US$100 million fund size, US$230 million was disbursed due to loan renewals.
Out of 236K clients, 83% were female borrowers and 75% were rural borrowers.
To date, 1.18 million individuals have benefited from improved housing through MicroBuild.
Innovations = multifaceted contribution to address climate issues
Gaps in pioneer investments & connections
Affordable housing startups are crowding in capital to grow their impact:
Tvasta | $5M |
Green Antz | $3.5M |
Kubik | $3.1M |
Billion Bricks | $2.5M |
Lumkani | $2M |
Habitat's Shelter Venture Fund has disbursed US$3.02 million
to 11 companies globally.
Habitat's Shelter Venture Fund has disbursed US$3.02 million
to 11 companies globally.
Hasit Ganatra, founder of ReMaterials, displays a roof panel made by his company in India using a composite of recycled plastic and cellulose, which makes roofs water-repellent and can make homes in India up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit cooler in summer. Habitat’s Shelter Venture Fund invested in ReMaterials.
Company | Description | Location | Climate Impact |
Billion Bricks | Develops net-zero homes and communities, energy self sufficient | Philippines | Achieves net-zero carbon footprint |
Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions | Uses 3D-printing for affordable housing, energy efficient | India | Reduces construction emissions |
Earth Enable | Adapts earth building for weather resilience, reduces cement use | Uganda Rwanda | Enhances climate adaptation, lowers carbon |
Easy Housing | Carbon-neutral, climate-resilient bio-based housing | Uganda Mozambique | Reduces construction emissions |
Gaps in pioneer investments & connections
Join us:
Presented by:
Sabha Khawaja
Director, Regional Operations TCIS - Southeast Asia
Habitat for Humanity International
Mentimeter�Code: 9869 9968