On November 22nd, the World Bank Group, in collaboration with the Alliance for Entrepreneurship in Africa and the French Treasury, organized a roundtable focusing on agribusiness. Approximately 40 representatives from donors, development banks, DFIs, private sector investors, and corporate and donor entrepreneurship support organizations participated. Key Alliance members like IFC, ADB, FMO, Proparco, Bpifrance, AfricInvest, I&P, and the French Treasury were represented.

The roundtable addressed the urgent need for innovative, collaborative strategies to align financing for startups and high-growth SMEs in Africa’s agricultural sector. Discussions centered on bridging funding gaps and building robust pipelines of investment-ready businesses by de-risking investments—drawing lessons from successful initiatives in regions like Brazil and India. Participants emphasized the vital role of support organizations, corporates, and development banks in scaling agricultural SMEs.

Strategic cooperation was highlighted as crucial for maximizing financial impact in high-value markets and value chains. IFC’s Africa’s Agriculture Accelerator Program (AAAP) and the FASA initiative, led by I&P, were noted for their transformative potential, combining financing with advisory services to enhance productivity, sustainability, and risk reduction.

Next Steps

The focus will shift to creating frameworks that minimize duplication and enhance collaboration, aligning stakeholder financing efforts, and adapting effective de-risking strategies for Africa. Plans include conducting a funding gap analysis and fostering continuous dialogue to refine strategies and promote collective action on both global and local scales, while engaging new Alliance members. This should also be updated on the main page under “latest news and projects”