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AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund


About

The AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund is an initiative by the European Union to support productive and market-integrated smallholder agriculture through the provision of financial support to agri-enterprises. The aim is to contribute to improvements in the capacity of smallholder farmers/pastoralists to practise environmentally sustainable and climate-smart agriculture as a business in inclusive value chains.

The AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund will award an indicative amount of EUR 18,000,000 to agri-enterprises as financial support alongside targeted technical assistance. The programme is funded by the European Union and co-funded by SlovakAid and is implemented in parallel with a European Investment Bank (EIB) facility provided to Equity Bank Kenya.

Self Help Africa and Imani Development Limited are the Fund Managers for the programme.

The Challenge Fund is part of the wider AgriFI programme in a financing agreement between the European Commission and the Government of Kenya under the 11thEDF signed in 2017 to unlock, accelerate and leverage investments within value chains.

Objectives

Objectives

  • To improve the capacity of 100,000 smallholder farmers/pastoralists to practice environmentally sustainable and climate-smart agriculture as a business in inclusive value chains.
  • Support and enable at least 50 agri-enterprises to increase their turnover (by at least 25%).

Expected outcomes

  • 100,000 smallholders/pastoralists integrated in various agricultural value chains
  • 50 agri-enterprises Increase turnover by at least 25%
  • 10,000 net equivalent jobs created
  • 20,000 hectares under climate-smart land management practices
  • 15 trade associations strengthened
  • 600,000 livelihoods transformed

How it works

The AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund is looking to award an indicative amount of EUR 18,000,000 to 50 agri-enterprises as financial support. The funds will be allocated through three (3) separate calls for proposals. This first call will allocate up to approximately EUR 6,000,000. The scale of support is as follows

  • Financial support will be a maximum of 50% of the project value
  • Financial support will range from EUR 200,000 to EUR 1Million
  • Duration 24 to 36 months

Actions to be funded

The nature of actions that can be funded through financial support under this programme include the following:

a. Initiatives that reach smallholder farmers to improve agricultural productivity, market access, post-harvest handling, food safety or other impact. The initiatives may include (but are not limited to):

  • Improving the quality and/or the access to inputs;
  • Provision of extension services to smallholder farmers;
  • Promoting the production of nutritious foods;
  • Promoting of climate smart, soil and water conservation technologies;
  • Promoting the smallholders’ capacity to comply with quality and standards certification;
  • Reducing post-harvest handling and losses;
  • Promoting access to innovative and affordable financial services for smallholder farmers.

b. Initiatives that develop the management, operational and supporting business processes that are directly linked to improving the integration of smallholder farmers/pastoralists within the supply chain of a businesses and improve on their efficiencies; this may include energy/water saving technology.

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