Mobilizing Inclusive Finance in Agriculture and Food Systems: Innovative Approaches
Organized by:
Smallholder and Agri-SME Finance and Investment Network (SAFIN)
Summary:
Agriculture and food systems are key employers and drivers of growth across the developing world, notably in Africa. Their role in the realization of the 2030 Agenda is immense, as it cuts across ending poverty, ending hunger and malnutrition, promoting sustainable production and consumption, addressing climate change and managing ecosystems sustainably. Estimated investment needs in the sector can run in the trillions, if they include investment in agriculture, nutrition, and infrastructure, energy, and services connecting rural and urban markets. Progress is slow and inadequate, held back by high perceived and real investment risks, market imperfections, and paucity of adequate instruments. Changing course at scale requires new ways to mobilize and to align public and private finance, and doing so with particular focus on financing for investment by small and medium enterprises (including small family farmers, input providers, processors, traders), who are most often the backbone of food systems.
The event will highlight key areas of innovation to be pursued to achieve change at scale towards inclusive financial ecosystems for agriculture. It will focus on the challenge of building inclusive financial ecosystems that can bridge the investment gap in agriculture and food systems, as a critical though often neglected part of the Financing for Development agenda, and devote particular attention to how public and private finance can best be mobilized and aligned to drive change forward.
Related information:
Contact:
Zak Bleicher, z.bleicher@ifad.org