Access to finance for agro-industrialisation in Africa
How can finance be used to enable agro-industrial transformation in Africa? This upcoming webinar will focus on how enterprises can translate their improved access to finance into tangible gains in operational performance, throughput, product quality, and commercial scalability.
A recent study from AUDA-NEPAD and the GIZ Agribusiness Facility for Africa shows the many agro-processors continue to operate below installed capacity. The reasons for reduced capacity utilisation are numerous - inconsistent raw material supply, technology gaps, supply chain disruptions, inadequate infrastructure, weak operational systems, efficiency losses, and persistent financing constraints. However, this highlights that capacity utilization is not a narrow technical issue but a multidimensional challenge for enterprises.
Focusing on this challenge, this webinar will help agribusinesses understand how to convert financial resources into improved capacity utilization, higher operational efficiency, and integration within the CAADP Kampala objectives on value addition, trade, and investment. The report results will be presented followed by a discussion among an expert panel and an open Q&A with the audience.
Speakers and panellists
- Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong, African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD)
- Dora Siliya, former Member of Parliament and Minister of Agriculture in Zambia
- Eric Picard, Access to Finance Rwanda
- Charles Muigai, Mazaopesa Ltd, and author of the AUDA-NEPAD/GIZ commissioned study Baseline Study on Operational Performance and Threshold Operational Optimization of 20 Medium and Large-scale Agro-processors in Africa
The webinar is co-organized by AUDA-NEPAD, the GIZ Agribusiness Facility for Africa (ABF), AfriCatalyst, DnS Consulting, the Shamba Centre for Food & Climate, and the Zero Hunger Coalition. Interpretation will be available in French / English / Portuguese.
Registration details coming soon.
Expert talk series
This webinar is part of a series that explores access to finance for agrifood business. An earlier webinar explored the financial constraints that these businesses face and options for sustainable funding and institutional engagement. It can be viewed here.
