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Blended finance: Promoting agricultural investments.

Our participation in the FERDI/ALFA event in Paris, where we presented an innovative hybrid financing model to support agricultural entrepreneurship in West Africa.

A blended finance model capable of supporting nearly 100 strategic agricultural enterprises in West Africa.

EXPERTISE

Blended finance: A solution to promote agricultural investment in Africa!

In early July, our team attended an event organized by FERDI (Foundation for Studies and Research on International Development) and the ALFA association—Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Africa (of which Cubik Agri is a member)—at InVivo’s headquarters in Paris.

The event focused on the theme “Financial Innovation in Support of Agricultural Entrepreneurship inthe UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union)” and was introduced by Amadou MBODJ, Director of Agriculture at the UEMOA Commission.

It was an opportunity to learn about the new financing vehicle being developed by FERDI.

A new financing vehicle offered by FERDI.

This new financing vehicle was presented by Alexis BEFENO, an independent financial advisor specializing in impact investing and “blended finance,” who has worked on this topic for FERDI.

Background: Agriculture in West Africa (and throughout Africa) suffers from a severe lack of funding, due in particular to the high barriers to entry for investment funds, a high level of financial risk, and the fact that agricultural projects take too long to become profitable for private investors.

Objective: To propose a hybrid approach to promote financing by aligning the interests of the private sector (reducing financial risks and accelerating return on investment) with those of the public sector (positive social and environmental impacts) within an integrated approach to agricultural value chains.

Solution: Create a new public-private financing vehicle (“blended finance”) with a mixed governance structure and a long-term focus, reducing the financial risks for the private sector (which would have priority in repayments) and ensuring the positive impact required by the public sector (with clear and measurable objectives).

Blended finance for agriculture: an innovative financing model with promising potential!

An innovative model with promising potential that would eventually support nearly 100 “champion” companies of all sizes to promote the structuring and development of agricultural value chains in West Africa. Congratulations to all the stakeholders, institutions, entrepreneurs, and researchers involved in this “blended finance for agriculture” project!