Credit where it grows- financing agriculture’s missing middle

Agriculture in Africa has a massive social and economic footprint and sits at the heart of both the climate crisis and the pathway to a liveable future. More than 60 percent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is smallholder farmers, and about 23 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP comes from agriculture.

From the G20 agriculture working group meetings in Durban South Africa to our own analysis on intra Africa trade suggest that while a key supplier of food products to major players like the EU and US, with South Africa alone boasting six consecutive years of record agricultural exports in 2024, African agriculture’s true potential remains unfulfilled.

The demand for credible climate-risk reporting is not going away, especially as those risks continue to become realities. The following green finance policy developments represent a sample of wider regulatory and policy coverage available via our platform.

Rwanda’s cabinet on April 17 approved the country’s Green Taxonomy, a policy framework that aligns public and private sector investments with national environmental and climate priorities. Read

The Climate Bonds Initiative has launched an Agrifood Transition Framework to guide financial institutions, investors, and stakeholders through the complexities of financing a credible, just, and science-aligned transition in the agrifood system. Read

President William Ruto oversaw the signing of the deals on Wednesday, April 23, during the Kenya-China Economic Forum held in Beijing. The move is expected to improve local food production and attract more foreign capital into the country’s farming sector. Read

The Federal Government has pledged to restructure and recapitalise the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) as part of its broader strategy to strengthen the economy and enhance food security. President Bola Tinubu has appointed Mr. Ayo Sotinrin as the new Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), with immediate effect. Read

The Organisation for Technology Advancement of Cold Chain in West Africa (OTACCWA) says Nigeria needs 5,000 cold trucks and 100 cold rooms to tackle its $2 billion annual post-harvest losses. Read

FarmWorks operates as an aggregator and distributor of fresh produce, including essential crops such as tomatoes, onions, and potatoes, which are sourced directly from smallholder farmers. Read

A blended finance scheme by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) has provided ZAR50.5m in funding to 30 agricultural businesses since its launch in 2023. Read

Embracing sustainability was named by 53% among Food and Beverage producers greatest opportunities over the next two years — up from 36% in a 2022 survey — while 50% said changing tastes and preferences. Health and wellness was a top opportunity for 53% overall and 61% in both North America and EMEA.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has announced that it is joining a new $27.4 million global initiative to reduce methane emissions from livestock by harnessing natural variation in how animals digest food. Read

Struggling cocoa farmers in West Africa’s top producers have little to show from a record-beating rally in the price of the commodity — which now shows signs of easing as chocolate lovers cut back on consumption. Read