Khavul (2010) argues that microfinance is a new word, which is popularly used in the field of finance in recent times. He further argues that the term microfinance constitutes two words: micro and finance, which could mean small credit or ‘microcredit’. Nonetheless, the concept of microfinance goes far beyond small credit and it is to be noted that not all small credit is microfinance (Khavul, 2010). Likewise, Ghosh (2006) explains that microfinance constitutes various financial services, which mostly includes savings and credit. It also contains other services like insurance, directed to eventually benefit the poor or disadvantaged section of the population, especially those who are economically poor.
Robinson (2001) sees microfinance as small-scale financial services primarily credit and savings provided to people who farm or fish or herd; who operate small enterprises or micro enterprises where goods are produced, recycled, repaired, or sold; who provide services; who work for wages or commissions; who gain income from renting out small amounts of land, vehicles, draft animals, or machinery and tools; and to other individuals and groups at the local levels of developing countries, both rural and urban. In fact, although it is true that many MFIs do not take collateral, especially if they are focusing on the poorest that normally do not possess any collateral, several MFIs do require some form of collateral. In the case of farmers, for instance, the farmers are only given credits only for them to repay after harvesting. The Grameen Bank Model of micro financing in the context of Bangladesh is an example of micro assistance to farmers (Besley & Coate, 1995).