EDFI AgriFI, the EU-funded Agriculture Financing Initiative, is a blending facility aiming to unlock, accelerate and leverage investments with a value chain approach in developing countries, focusing on smallholder's inclusiveness and/or agri-business micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). AgriFI is managed by EDFI Management Company.
EDFI AgriFI invested in 2023 in INUA IMPACT FUND a gender lens private equity fund that will invest patient and catalytic capital in SMEs in Uganda. INUA is the first investment under AgriFI’s ACP Regional Window.
The InfoPoint session aims to share insights on the use of EU blending instruments to unlock, accelerate and leverage sustainable agriculture finance by focusing on the example of INUA.
- the EU's international role | international cooperation
- Friday 16 June 2023, 11:00 - 12:30 (CEST)
Practical information
- When
- Friday 16 June 2023, 11:00 - 12:30 (CEST)
- Where
- InfoPoint and Webex Meetings
- Languages
- English
- Organisers
- International Partnerships InfoPoint
Description
AgriFI window for the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region is a € 50 million regional window, dedicated to sustainably increase production and income of smallholder farmers in ACP regions by investing in private sector entities focusing on farmers’ livelihood improvement. AgriFI is enabling small and medium enterprises, financial institutions and impact funds in ACP countries to access long term funding via debt, quasi-equity and equity investments. This investment facility will help create and consolidate regional and continental agricultural value chains, and therefore, fostering food security at national and continental levels. Reducing poverty and hunger while promoting inclusive growth requires substantial investment in agriculture. As the most vulnerable parts of the population live in rural areas, investing in small-scale farming directly benefits the local socio-economic situation and reduces its dependency on external assistance.
The objective of the InfoPoint session is to highlight the accomplishments of the facility and provide insights into the utilisation of EU blending instruments to unlock, expedite, and maximize sustainable agriculture finance. This event presents an excellent opportunity to introduce the INUA IMPACT FUND (named after the Kiswahili word for 'to uplift' or 'raise up') which embraces a gender-lens investing approach. As the inaugural resident impact investment equity fund in Uganda, the INUA IMPACT FUND receives support from EDFI AgriFI, funded by EU, specifically to finance the agricultural SME portfolio of the fund with equity/quasi-equity investments ranging from $100K to $500K. This fills a critical gap in the Ugandan market for a dynamic yet underserved segment. The INUA IMPACT FUND has a local team, investing scarce equity in small tickets for early-stage companies while also providing guidance and coaching to its investees.
Speakers
- Leonard Mizzi, Head of Unit, DG INTPA, European Commission
- Kim Kamarebe, CEO of INUA
- Escipión Oliveira, Assistant Secretary-General, OACPS
- Regis Meritan, Head of Sector DG INTPA, European Commission
- Guillaume Simoes, AgriFI Senior Investment Officer, EDFI MC
- Moderated by Cristina Vicente Ruiz, AgriFI Programme Manager, DG INTPA, European Commission and Yvonne Chileshe, OACPS, Expert on Value Chains
Language of conference: English
Language of Q&A session: English
Registration