The Agribusiness Deal Room recently launched a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Resource Bank that will support in bridging the gap between agri-SMEs and investors. The Resource Bank was developed in response to a gap identified by investors, who indicated that an average 20% of transactions did not progress due to a limited understanding of the investment process and requirements on the part of SMEs.
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The Resource Bank is a virtual depository offering a wide range of guiding materials for fundraising, including comprehensive investment memos, robust financial models and market analysis information.
The Bank will be an evolving open-source repository and is open to other contributors committed to developing the African Agribusiness sector.
“African SMEs drive the continent’s agricultural transformation. They handle 80% of the food consumed across the continent. The Resource Bank will go a long way in improving their investor preparedness, enabling them access the required capital investment for growth. This will unleash their full potential to create jobs for the youth, feed the continent’s growing population and spur inclusive economic growth.”
Vanessa Adams, VP Strategic Partnerships, AGRA
The Resource Bank is a compilation of resources contributed by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the UK (UKFCDO), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and U.S. Development Finance Corporation. Access the Resource Bank here.
Other notable platforms hosted by AGRF and AGRA include –VALUE4HERConnect and Generation Africa. VALUE4HERConnectseeks to expand women’s presence in markets where they can trade and access new clients and partners nationally, regionally and internationally. The Generation Africa platform brings partners together to strengthen the ecosystem for young agripreneurs across the continent.
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About the Agribusiness Deal Room
The Agribusiness Deal Room is a year-round matchmaking platform at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) that convenes stakeholders from the entire eco-system to facilitate partnerships and investments in African agriculture. It specifically supports governments and companies with access to finance and partnership opportunities. Since its launch in 2018, the Deal Room has facilitated over 400 companies and 17 governments, jointly seeking an aggregate capital of USD 11 billion cumulatively over the last three years.
