On 24 June 2020, the first payments have been made by the Agri-Business Capital Fund (ABC Fund). The ABC Fund provides loans and equity investments adapted to the needs of rural SMEs, farmers' organizations, agri-preneurs and rural financial institutions in developing countries. This fund has been created in 2019 by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to spur productivity, improve incomes and livelihoods and importantly create jobs, in particular for the youth.
The ABC Fund is managed by the Geneva-based company Bamboo Capital Partners in close cooperation with IFAD. According to the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, this represents a great opportunity for the public and private sectors to work together.
Emanuele Santi, ABC Fund Manager at Bamboo Capital Partners, explains: “The ABC Fund is an impact fund that provides financing solutions to the agricultural community in developing countries. It provides loans and equity investments to support carefully selected farmers' organisations, rural SMEs and financial institutions in low- and middle-income countries. To qualify for support, local agribusinesses and institutions must demonstrate a potential for high growth and job creation. They must also show that they contribute to social development in their respective local community and country.”
The Graduate Institute and the private sector sharing expertise on SDG investment
SDG investment is also one of the areas of expertise of the Graduate Institute’s Centre for Finance and Development (CFD). Through events and teaching – especially the unique Executive Certificate in SDG Investing – the CFD aims at disseminating this expertise.
In the past years, the CFD has also collaborated with private sector actors specialising in SDG investment to advance knowledge on SDG investing and other issues related to finance and development. In October 2019, during the Building Bridges Week held in Geneva on 7-11 October 2019, the CFD and its Professor Lore Vandewalle have organised a panel discussion on Switzerland at the Heart of SDG Financing together with Bamboo Capital Partners and Symbiotic.
Find out more in this news article from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.