KIGALI, Rwanda — Across sub-Saharan Africa, food markets are expanding, driven largely by income growth and rapid urbanization. At the same time, limited access to finance for smallholder farmers remains a barrier for many producers seeking to expand output beyond subsistence levels.
During last week’s African Green Revolution Forum, experts focused on how opportunities in innovative and blended finance could bridge the gap toward the estimated $11 billion in investments that, according to the United Nations, is needed each year to help the continent establish self-sufficiency and feed itself by 2050.
While private equity, venture capital, and impact investment are increasingly important sources of financing for agriculture and agribusiness in sub-Saharan Africa, experts argued that public and private stakeholders must team up to develop products that provide impact at the local level.