Contracts CD 2024

Kahawatu Foundation - $262,500 Partnership Development Contribution

Long term private-public partnership program, focused on the strengthening of the coffee sector in Burundi. The coffee sector in Burundi is at a crossroads, currently on an all-time low of productivity, though coffee is the most important export commodity in the country and one of the few viable ways for smallholders to earn some money. The program includes three components, focusing on farmer support and livelihoods, capacity building with local and national institutions involved in the coffee sector, and an access to market strategy for Burundian coffee on the local market. FMO’s support focused on the first three years, of which the first year will be an inception phase for the envisioned 12 year program, to be co-funded with the Swiss Development Cooperation, JDE, Sucafina Coffee and the Optimus Foundation. By supporting the revitalization of the sector, FMO improves possibilities for economic prosperity for the farmers and other workers in the sector as well as the possibility to seed long term pipeline development and to support current and prospect businesses active in the coffee sector in the country

TechnoServe - €62,000 Technical Assistance

The KTDA Inclusive Business Plan aims to identify suitable opportunities for income diversification for KTDA tea farmers and design a sustainable business model for the KTDA Foundation. This project, implemented by TechnoServe, involves delivering an Inclusive Business Plan (IBP) to support KTDA farmers in diversifying their income sources beyond tea farming. The IBP will prioritize viable income diversification strategies, define a sustainable operating model, quantify the income opportunities, and design a pilot program for implementation. The ultimate goal is to enhance farmer incomes, increase climate resilience, and secure a stable supplier base for KTDA.

Stichting Andgreen.fund - €31,781 Technical Assistance

This project aims to enable and capacitate SAIL Investments and the &Green Fund to identify opportunities to expand economic opportunities for women and raise awareness among &Green Fund portfolio companies to adapt their practices. Implemented by Value for Women Ltd., the project will deliver a Gender Lens Investing (GLI) diagnostic, practical tools for implementing GLI practices, and awareness-raising sessions. The goal is to align with the 2X Challenge Criteria, enhance gender-inclusive business practices, and ultimately expand economic opportunities for women within the &Green Fund’s portfolio.

Global Food and Agribusiness Network - €16,000 Technical Assistance

The Cheetahs Academy Initial Design project aims to develop a world-class leadership academy for middle-upper management in fast-growing African agribusinesses. Implemented by the Global Food and Agribusiness Network under the guidance of Professor Peer Ederer, this project will complete the initial design, planning, and feasibility phase. The need for this academy was identified during the African Cheetahs Roundtable, where C-suite executives of Cheetah companies highlighted talent constraints as a key growth barrier. The goal is to address these talent constraints, improve agribusiness performance, and accelerate growth.

Eswaran Brothers Exports (Pvt) Ltd - €33,623.63 Technical Assistance

This project aims to identify opportunities within Eswaran Brothers, a Building Prospects prospective customer, to enhance gender inclusion across all staff levels. Implemented by Value for Women Ltd., the project will deliver a comprehensive gender assessment, a tailored Gender Action Plan, and support for up to two pilot initiatives. The objectives include increasing women's representation, improving safety and wellbeing for women employees, and inspiring similar actions in the Sri Lankan tea industry. The project will also produce a public-facing case study to showcase the outcomes and progress towards gender equality.

Solu Hydropower Limited - $192,191 Development Contribution Grant

This project supports the second phase of the Livelihood Restoration and Development Plan (LRDP) to sustainably restore and enhance the livelihoods of Project Affected People from the Lower Solu Hydropower Project in Nepal. It focuses on alternative livelihoods through agri-based activities, skills training, market linkages, and women’s empowerment. BP funds this project to mitigate socio-economic impacts, promote gender equality, and reinforce environmental and social standards, contributing to Nepal’s sustainable energy goals and setting a leading example for responsible investment in the sector.

HPW Fresh & Dry Ltd. - $78,000 Technical Assistance

This project aims to evaluate the impact of capital expenditure (capex) investments made by HPW Fresh & Dry Limited on smallholder farmer incomes and livelihoods. Implemented by 60 Decibels, Inc., the evaluation will assess the effectiveness of these investments at intermediary processor sites in Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. Building Prospects previously funded a development contribution for upgrading processing equipment and capacity building of facility staff, which helped HPW expand into new sourcing markets. This evaluation aims to understand the impact of these investments on smallholder farmers in the supply chain. The primary objective is to validate the hypothesis that blended finance investments in intermediary capex can improve farmer livelihoods to evaluate HPW's repayment discount triggers and to apply this learning more broadly in FMO's agriculture portfolio.

SEACEF TAF LTD - $300,000 Development Contribution Grant

The SEACEF Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) supports early-stage innovation through tailored technical assistance focused on capacity building and ecosystem strengthening. By funding the TAF, BP enables portfolio companies to access business support, peer learning, and external advisory services in areas like E&S, gender and core business support. This enhances their operations and impact, increasing the value and effectiveness of FMO's involvement in SEACEF II.

Africa REN Development - €100,000 Development Contribution Grant

This project aims to conduct technical design studies and an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the Kodeni Solar Expansion, a critical step in project preparation. Building on the success of Kodeni 1 and supporting FMO’s customer, this expansion will help Burkina Faso reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and electricity imports, contributing to energy security in this fragile, Least Developed Country (LDC). The project aligns with Building Prospects' mandate to foster sustainable energy solutions in vulnerable regions, supporting long-term growth and stability.

Africa Infrastructure Development Association - €42,979.54 Partnership Development Contribution

The Africa Infrastructure Development Association (AFIDA) is an organization aimed at supporting first-time African RE developers in achieving bankability and attracting investment. The project provided pitching support, networking, and engagement opportunities to a selected group of developers, who showcased their projects at FMO’s Future of Energy 2024 event and they joined the AFIDA network. This initiative aligns with FMO's commitment to fostering the next generation of developers in Africa.

Husk Power Systems Pvt Ltd - €23,123 Technical Assistance

The main objective of the project is to assist Husk Power Systems Pvt Ltd in developing and implementing their Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) to address gaps identified during a due diligence process. The project involves tasks such as updating the Group ESMS, conducting ESMS training, digitizing ESMS processes, assessing supply chain screening, and reviewing climate change impacts.

Joliba Capital Fund I, L.P. - €28,130 Technical Assistance

The project aims to support Joliba’s portfolio company for IUC university in Douala, Cameroon with GHG accounting, energy audit support, and efficiency/optimization improvements. It includes an inventory of energy use, establishing a system for monitoring resource consumption, and implementing a strategy for optimizing energy consumption and GHG emissions. The project is implemented by IBIS Environmental Social Consulting.

Accretive Cleanteach Finance Pvt Ltd - €12,200 Technical Assistance

The Ecofy CPP Certification project assesses and supports Ecofy India's adherence to Client Protection Principles, ultimately obtaining the CERISE+SPTF certification. This includes a comprehensive assessment process, including desk reviews, onsite visits, data collection, interviews, and the preparation of detailed reports with specific recommendations for improvement. The project is implemented by Microfinanza Rating Srl.

UN Capital Development Fund - $300,000 Partnership Development Contribution

Joint project between FMO, UN Capital Development (UNCDF) and UNICEF under the investment pillar of UNICEF’s First Foods Initiative. This initiative, focused on improving access to nutritious foods for the youngest children (0-2yrs) and their families focuses on awareness, behavior change and access to nutritious foods. FMO’s contribution will be towards a scoping study for a financial architecture to increase access to finance for SMEs active in value chains that produce, process and sell nutritious foods in Sub Saharan Africa, with the aim to specially build the market for (malnourished) children in the first two years of their lives: their ‘first foods’. Outcome of the study will be a set of (new) financial instruments, mechanisms and/or structures to increase financing to local agri-SMEs active in first food value chains. FMO aims to reach the bottom of the pyramid in emerging markets with access to finance to support economic prosperity and food security. The scoping study identifies what type of financial instruments, mechanisms and/or structures should be set-up to further support companies involved in nutritious foods value chains, which aligns with BPs mandate to target agriculture value chains.

classM - €49,300 Development Contribution Grant

Market study for agribusiness opportunities in Morocco. This included an analysis of the agribusiness sector, including the different players on national and local level, including funders, investors and government programs; the selection of five value chains that match with FMO’s interests on both commercial and impact level, and a deep dive into companies in these five value chains, including introductions to selected businesses.