Agrifood Innovation Finance Debate

The Agrifood Innovation Finance Debate provided a platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and investors to discuss critical current challenges in financing innovations that have the potential to transform agrifood systems across Africa and Asia. The Debate is part of the SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme, an instrument designed to help agrifood system start-ups develop their businesses while contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Programme is an initiative by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), supported by SEED. It introduces an innovative approach to drive the transformation of agrifood systems through the development of scalable and replicable business instruments for SMEs - allowing them to meet their economic targets, while contributing to accelerating SDG implementation in their local context. The Programme offers to the participating enterprises a comprehensive toolkit of support, personalized mentoring to facilitate business growth, aid in developing investment and financial strategies to strengthen market expansion and diversification and a methodology for tracking their social and environmental impact and contribution to the SDGs.

During this interactive webinar, financiers and SMEs engaged in lively discussions, exploring diverse perspectives on the financing obstacles and opportunities across Africa and Asia. The practical insights of the debate will inform the further implementation and agenda setting of the FAO SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme and offered reflections on the scaling-up of SDG-focused financing, which has been highlighted at the 2023 SDG Summit and beyond as key to accelerating our collective progress towards the achievement of the SDGs.

Passcode: OJ%TQ@16 

Agenda

11:00 - 11:10	Welcome and setting the scene Hajnalka Petrics, Programme Officer, Office of SDGs, FAO Setting the scene Stefanos Fotiou, Director, Office of SDGs, FAO Arab Hoballah, Executive Director, SEED Video about the SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme innovators
11:10 - 11:40	Debate 1: New Business Models vs. New Technologies: Which innovations are more promising for financers? – A focus on Africa Moderator: Mirko Zuerker, SEED Debaters: Impact Investor Africa: Keith Wallace, Hivos Impact Investments Impact Investor Africa: Yvonne Ofosu-Appiah, Sahara Impact Ventures, Ghana Enterprise: Abdulai A. Dasana, Amaati, Ghana Enterprise: Lawrence Zikusoka, Gorilla Conservation Coffee, Uganda
11:40 - 12:10	Debate 2: Impact First vs. Profit First Models: What makes a difference in attracting commercial financing for agrifood SMEs? – A focus on Asia Moderator: Hajnalka Petrics, FAO Debaters: Impact Investor Asia: Michal Gorczewski, Nexus for Development, Cambodia Impact Investor Asia: Suresh Krishna, Yunus Social Business, India Enterprise: Pradeep P S, FarmersFZ, India Enterprise: Hatta Kresna, Rahsa Nusantara, Indonesia
12:10 -12:40	Debate 3: Loans vs. Grants: Which instruments are better to build-up agrifood innovations? – A focus on Africa and Asia Moderator: Mirko, Zuerker, SEED Debaters: Financial Institution Africa: Emmanuel Imbula, Stanbic Bank, Zambia Agricultural Development Bank Asia: Sriram Appulingam, NABARD, India Enterprise: Harry Malichi, Wuchi Wami, Zambia Enterprise: Pradeep P S, FarmersFZ, India
12:40 - 13:00	Synthesis Moderator: Hajnalka Petrics, FAO Massimo Pera, Senior Agribusiness Officer, Investment Centre, FAO Fabrizio Bresciani, Senior Technical Officer, Office of Innovation, FAO