Upon its mandate, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has developed inclusive rural finance activities that harness the commitment of the private sector engagement to the benefit of smallholders and rural agri-enterprises, and supported inclusive rural economic development. In that context, IFAD has initiated and been involved in two speciality investment funds dedicated to investing in agricultural small- and medium-sized enterprises (agri-SMEs): the Uganda Yield Fund and the global Agri-Business Capital Fund. With several years of investments experience, these funds provide an invaluable look into some of the types of private sector investments IFAD will consider supporting over the coming years as it ramps up its private sector activities.
Co-organized by the Inclusive Rural Finance (IRF) Network and FARM-D (hosted by PARM), the webinar featured IFAD Funds’ managers who provided insights, using practical examples, on challenges and opportunities associated with investing in agri-SMEs. Drawing on several years of investment experience, the discussion focused on the types of agri-SMEs targeted, and the lessons learned from investing in such sector.
Watch the webinar replay: