CSFI – Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation: “The resilience of the global microfinance industry will be put to the test by the economic crisis, according to a new survey of the risks to the business, Microfinance Banana Skins 2009, by David Lascelles and Sam Mendelson. Far from being insulated from the economic mainstream as traditionally thought, microfinance could face a fall in growth and funding because of the global recession and declining investor confidence. This will present the industry with its first major stress test since it emerged in recent decades as a fast-growing provider of small-scale financial services to the world’s poor…The survey, published by the CSFI and sponsored by Citi Foundation and the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) and supported by the Council of Microfinance Equity Funds (CMEF), was designed to identify and rank the main risks, or “Banana Skins” facing the industry at a time of economic crisis and change. It reflects the views of more than 400 practitioners, investors, regulators and analysts in 82 countries.”