While agri-SMEs are recognized as key actors in food systems, the absence of a widely shared definition and comprehensive taxonomy of these enterprises limits our understanding of the different roles they can play, and the various types of support and investment needed to unlock their growth.

To address this challenge, SAFIN recently commissioned ISF Advisors to propose a framework to define and categorize agri-SMEs, and their financial and non-financial needs. The resulting learning brief summarizes a flexible taxonomy that covers a broad range of enterprises and can be adapted to different countries and value chains. The taxonomy is designed to contribute to better targeted investments for agri-SMEs across the SAFIN network and in the broader ecosystem.