Our investment
CDC made a $15 million investment into the Africa Food Security Fund (AFSF) alongside the Public Investment Corporation of South Africa, the Dutch Good Growth Fund, the African Development Bank, Denmark's IFU and EBID (the Economic Community of West African States' Bank for Investment and Development). Along with Kuramo Capital, the total commitments to the fund total $90 million.
Expected impact
Food and agriculture can bring much-needed jobs and incomes to rural communities, increase food supply and reduce reliance on food imports. However, many investors shy away from some critical areas because of challenges and risks such as climate, biosecurity and commodity prices. AFSF will invest in businesses that have significant growth potential in their sector or region. It will invest in some primary agriculture, although its greater focus will be on areas such as processing and distribution, and on inputs into the sector such as fertiliser and agronomic services.
The availability of credit for agribusinesses is worsening, even relative to the difficult credit situation for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa, so the fund will reserve a greater amount of capital than usual for follow-on investments, to ensure its investees have sufficient capital to fund their growth potential which can otherwise be stalled.
The fund has a technical assistance facility which may be accessed by investee business to, for example, develop outgrower schemes that can have the dual benefit of improving the reliability of the supply chain for processors as well as increasing incomes and services for farmers.
Key facts
- Status:
- Active
- Region
:
Since 2012, we’ve only invested in Africa and South Asia. Investments outside these regions are from our pre-2012 portfolio.
- Africa
- Investment type
:
We provide capital in three broad ways: direct equity, debt, and intermediated equity (principally through investment funds).
- Intermediated investment
- Fund manager:
- Zebu Investment Partners
- Start date
:
For direct investments, this is the date CDC committed capital to the business or project.
For funds, this is the date that CDC committed capital to the fund.
For underlying fund investments, this is the date that the fund invested capital into the business.e
- August 2018
- Amount
:
For direct investments, this is the total amount that CDC has committed to the business or project (it may be a combination of equity and debt).
For funds, this is the total amount that CDC has committed to the fund.
- $15m
- Domicile
:
This is the investee company’s place of incorporation; or a fund’s jurisdiction.
- Mauritius
Investments made by this fund
- Active
- Exited
| Investment name | Country | Region | Sector | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
West End Farms (WEF)
SME venture West End Farms is one of the leading mixed farming enterprises in Cameroon with farms and a cattle ranch across various locations in the country. |
Cameroon | Africa | Food and agriculture | June 2019 | Active |
