Lean data insights: Aggregate report

Written by AECF

Despite recent progress and development in the renewable energy sector, energy access challenges persist globally, with over 625 million people lacking access to electricity and an additional 2.1 billion people lacking access to clean cooking, according to 2023 SDG7 progress report. The impacts of climate change and natural catastrophes further compound this especially in sub-Saharan Africa, described as being most vulnerable to climate change. 

Since 2017, AECF (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund) has been deploying challenge-led investment funds, technical assistance, energy, and advisory service facilities to support inclusive businesses promoting adaptation and mitigation solutions for low-income, underserved, and rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Combined, the Renewable Energy and Adaptation Climate Technologies (REACT SSA) programme funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and REACT Household Solar programme funded by Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) have invested and strengthened 101 companies that delivered energy access products and services to over 560,000 households translating to over 2.8 million people, 23,599 MSMEs and supported over 3,800 direct jobs.

In 2021, AECF partnered with 60 Decibels, an independent impact measurement company, to conduct Lean Data studies with end consumers of REACT portfolio companies with the intention of gaining a deeper understanding of if and how increased access to energy and adaptation technologies affects households’ quality of life, mSMEs’ productivity, and creates new opportunities in rural economies. Such studies are also precious in giving voice to consumers, providing critical customer feedback to our investees, and helping them improve customer satisfaction and impact. To us, it offers precious insights to guide our future investments and the depth and breadth of our impacts. To date, 60 Decibels (60dB) has conducted interviews with over 7,000 randomly selected consumers drawn from 25 investees, spread across 9 countries under the REACT portfolio with technologies ranging from clean/improved cooking, solar home systems, mini and micro grids, solar-powered irrigation, e-mobility, and waste management and recycling. 

 

Agribusiness in Africa Window – Round 2 investee showcase

Written by AECF

A Janela para o Agronegócio em África, Ronda 2 (AAW R2), foi uma janela à escala continental lançada em 2014 para apoiar as empresas a investirem em ideias de negócio inclusivas e inovadoras com potencial para aumentar a produtividade, o emprego, as oportunidades de subsistência e os rendimentos dos pobres na África Subsariana.

Foi autorizado um financiamento total de 20 milhões de CAD para o programa, incluindo 15 milhões de CAD da Global Affairs Canada (GAC) e 5 milhões de CAD da Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

Foram concedidas subvenções a 19 projectos em 11 países (Quénia, Nigéria, Malawi, Moçambique, Serra Leoa, Senegal, Tanzânia, Zâmbia, Zimbabué, Uganda e Burundi/RDC), com empresas que trabalham numa variedade de cadeias de valor agrícolas, incluindo caju, frutas, batatas, moringa, produção animal e serviços de informação digital.

Unlocking transport bottlenecks – A case study of DSM Corridor Group Ltd. in Tanzania

Written by AECF

O porto marítimo de Dar es Salaam é o porto marítimo mais importante da Tanzânia, servindo de porta de entrada para a Tanzânia e para os seus vizinhos - movimentando 95% do comércio internacional do país, bem como o trânsito para os países sem litoral da África Central e Oriental, incluindo o Burundi, o Ruanda, o Uganda, o Malawi, a Zâmbia e a República Democrática do Congo (RDC). O tráfego de carga no porto de Dar es Salaam tem flutuado nos últimos anos, mas prevê-se que atinja 28 milhões de toneladas métricas até 2025.

Para garantir que os agricultores da Tanzânia recebem os insumos agrícolas a tempo, a DCG desenvolveu soluções logísticas únicas e serviços de manuseamento de carga que descongestionaram o porto, aumentaram a eficiência e reduziram os tempos de manuseamento da carga. Através da Janela do Agronegócio da Tanzânia do AECF, a empresa construiu o porto seco de Kisarawe e introduziu uma plataforma de gestão da informação, que ajudou a melhorar a transparência e a eficiência, assegurando que os agricultores adquirem facilmente os insumos agrícolas, aumentando assim a produção.

Taking the lead – Boosting agricultural productivity and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Written by AECF

No AECF, acreditamos que o sector privado de África é a chave para acelerar a mudança. Em todo o continente, as PME centradas no sector agrícola são os principais motores da transformação agrícola, prevendo-se que a agricultura e o agronegócio se tornem uma indústria de 1 bilião de dólares em África até 2030, proporcionando mais empregos, rendimentos e crescimento económico. Apoiando os esforços para alcançar a segurança alimentar e a melhoria dos rendimentos para todos, muitas destas PME chegam aos pequenos agricultores, quer direta quer indiretamente.

Taking the lead – Building a prosperous, enterprising and resilient Africa

Written by AECF

AECF targets Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) with financing needs under US$ 2 million, and in 2021, introduced a lower ticket size category of US$ 25,000 – US$ 100,000 to complement the existing range of US$ 100,000 – US$ 2,000,000 used to date.

Businesses and business proposals are selected based on their commercial viability, innovation, and potential development impact on rural and marginalised communities. To ensure AECF does not crowd out other sources of finance, investees co-finance the total cost of the project, with the exception of youth/women-focused and businesses in fragile contexts.

End of programme report – Agribusiness in Africa Window – Round 2

Written by AECF

The Agribusiness in Africa Window Round 2 (AAW R2) was a continent-wide window launched in 2014 to support companies to invest in inclusive and innovative business ideas with the potential to increase productivity, employment, livelihood opportunities, and incomes amongst the poor in sub-Saharan Africa.

Foi autorizado um financiamento total de 20 milhões de CAD para o programa, incluindo 15 milhões de CAD da Global Affairs Canada (GAC) e 5 milhões de CAD da Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

Grant funding was awarded to 19 projects across 11 countries (Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Burundi/DRC), with businesses working in a variety of agriculture value chains, including cashew, fruits, potatoes, moringa, livestock production, and digital information services.

The AAW R2 was originally expected to end on December 31, 2020; it was extended by 18 months to complete activities delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The balance of drawdowns, together with uncommitted funds, was converted to a COVID-19 relief fund of US$1.3 million, which provided additional financing to 10 investees at the early stages of the pandemic, based on a competitive application and selection process.

Integração das lições da agricultura adaptativa nos ASALs

Written by AECF

This report was commissioned between August 2018 and March 2019 and conducted jointly by AECF and NIRAS. The study aimed to assess how best to mobilize the private sector within the ASALs of the sub-Sahara to guide “future investments in the ASALs, both through specific funding windows and more generally.”

Relatório Anual 2020

Written by AECF

Welcome to our 2020 Annual Report. The theme of this year’s report is Resilience in action: Protecting development gains in a time of crisis highlights the impact of our investees across Sub-Sahara Africa and the lasting change they are bringing to the communities they serve.

Relatório anual de 2018

Written by AECF

AECF is pleased to publish its 2019 Annual Report, which sets out the achievements across its two flagship programmes – agribusiness and renewable energy and adaptation to climate technologies (REACT) – and the further work that lies ahead in supporting pro-poor businesses to reach under-served communities in Africa with essential services, products, and jobs.

Relatório anual de 2019

Written by AECF

AECF is pleased to publish its 2019 Annual Report, which sets out the achievements across its two flagship programmes – agribusiness and renewable energy and adaptation to climate technologies (REACT) – and the further work that lies ahead in supporting pro-poor businesses to reach under-served communities in Africa with essential services, products, and jobs.

Criar oportunidades de trabalho digno na carteira agroindustrial do AECF

Written by AECF

O AECF entra, aos dez anos, numa nova fase do seu crescimento. Continua a centrar-se na transformação da vida das populações rurais pobres através da agricultura e das energias renováveis, mas com uma ênfase renovada nos grupos mais difíceis de alcançar. Estes grupos, muitas vezes, quer por razões de género, idade ou localização geográfica, não têm beneficiado suficientemente do impacto do desenvolvimento.

Relatório de Impacto 2017

Written by AECF

This paper examines the impact that agribusinesses funded by the AECF have had on creating opportunities for decent work. Using a mixture of quantitative and qualitative case studies, the AECF agribusiness portfolio was analyzed to assess how each of these mechanisms operates.

This analysis also examined whether certain types of projects have a greater impact on creating decent work opportunities.