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AFC Worldwide Edition 2021
MEMBER OF GOPA CO NSULT ING GR O UP
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
AFC Agriculture and Finance Consultants GmbH is a private German consulting firm focusing on agricultural, agribusiness and financial development projects in developing and transition countries. AFC was established in 1973. In 2007, AFC became member of GOPA Consulting Group, Germany’s largest group of consulting firms in development cooperation.
AFC Š 2021 / Photos by AFC, associates and iStock
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
AFC Worldwide Edition 2021 jph
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
EDITORIAL Since March 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 demanded drastic changes of usual work habits, particularly for AFC operating in about 40 countries worldwide. Various adaptations, not only limited to hygiene measures, became necessary on a short notice to ensure that agricultural value chains continue to operate successfully in terms of food security, income generation, and safe nutrition. In terms of financing, mainly grants and soft loan systems had to be established.
Read more on AFC’s response to COVID-19 here:
https://tinyaurl.com/ yc8by9ed
When it came to direct knowledge transfer and information exchange to our target groups in projects, we intensified our activities in developing e-learning materials and organising digital meetings and webinars. AFC even developed a comprehensive guideline for creating webinars, for project teams to achieve high quality standards. In this edition, examples of these adaptations are the following:
A series of webinars in Mozambique
An e-learning course in Uganda
Virtual study tours in APD Kazakhstan
Collaborations with 30 local radio stations in Mali
See page 20
See page 21
See page 42
See page 23
Although there are various ways to maintain the flow of information remotely, this cannot completely replace personal meetings. The ability to work virtually is a chance since it enables participants from all over the world to stay in touch with us. However, it also represents many challenges to keep high quality information exchange beyond technical aspects, manage misunderstandings, build relationships, and enhance trust, in which non-verbal communication plays an important role, especially in multicultural teams. Therefore, we will continue organising hybrid meetings more often. We highly appreciate that our contracting partners continue to implement projects remotely and to tender new projects. Once again, the GOPA Group's network of international, regional and national specialists has proven to be highly flexible, solution-oriented and reliable to continuing operations on the ground, and we thank our colleagues all over the world! We look forward to the opportunity of meeting again in person hopefully in the course of 2021. Enjoy reading the AFC Worldwide Edition 2021 and share your ideas with us! Johannes Buschmeier Managing Director / CEO
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
AFC’S YEAR REVIEW Publication of the discussion paper on the quality of veterinary pharmaceuticals for livestock emergency responses in the Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards
Fair stand at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin organised by the German Ministry of Agriculture
EIB Eastern Africa SME & Microfinance Banking Forum with the theme “Boosting Banks’ Business and Supporting National Development Through Sustainable Agricultural Finance” organised by EIB/AFC in Nairobi
International “Agriculture resilient to climate change” Conference in Morocco organised by CECAMA/ ONCA/IAV Hassan
Publication of practical experiences of the Value Chain Approach as a tool for rural development
SEP 2020 4th AFC Agricultural expert days and new office inauguration
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Adapting our services delivery to online solutions
OCT 2019
NOV 2019
JAN 2020
MAR 2020
MAY 2020
Agrifuture Conference & Exhibition 2019 organised by DLG with Johannes Buschmeier as speaker on the topic: “Crucial factors for financing investments in agricultural machinery and the impact of subsidies”
EMS certification
APR 2020 Compliance online training is made mandatory to our long-term staff
DEC 2019
SID Hamburg - Series of lectures with Managing Director, Johannes Buschmeier, as a Guest lecturer and discussed "Profits against hunger - the role of innovation and private investment” at the University of Hamburg
NOV 2020
6th German – African Agribusiness Forum in Berlin organised by the “Afrika-Verein” with Johannes Buschmeier as speaker in the panel “Food Value Chain Development”
Red icons = Organised by AFC
As AFC realises the importance of seamless communication in providing to excellent services, our team organised and participated in a number of events before the COVID-19 pandemic put the world on a standstill. These significant events helped us to exchange views on technical topics related to agricultural value chains and financial sector development, while at the same time meeting colleagues, representatives of donor agencies, and political decision-makers. In addition, collaborations with the academia have enabled AFC to remain up to date in terms of current research results and share its knowledge and practical expertise about project implementation in development cooperation with students, which in turn better prepares them for the labour market.
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
4 th AFC AGRICULTURAL EXPERT DAYS AND OFFICE INAUGURATION
The 4th Agricultural Expert Day was held in AFC’s new office on 13 & 14 January 2020. Over 50 participants from 17 countries and 20 projects participated in the two-day activity with the theme, “Climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in the agricultural sector”.
This event was a great opportunity as the in-house and project staff members met personally and also created a platform for exchange among projects. On the first day, three working groups were set up and analysed different case studies focusing either on mitigation or adaptation strategies in the agricultural sector. The discussions were lively and project internal examples were very much talked about. The first day was concluded by the different groups presenting their work and discussing their results. A number of recommendations with practical examples were also given. The second day was a field trip to the “Campus Klein-Altendorf”, an experimental farm of the University of Bonn, where participants listened to two interesting presentations from researchers and finally toured over the trials fields. The day culminated with a successful inauguration of AFC’s new office with about 100 guests. In 2021, AFC would be happy to welcome guests and overseas staff in our beautiful Bonn office again as soon as the COVID-19 situation allows.
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
ADAPTING OUR SERVICES TO ONLINE SOLUTIONS
The COVID-19 global health pandemic inevitably affected the delivery of capacity building to project partners and final beneficiaries, because trainers and consultants have been facing travel restrictions, and physical meetings are constrained in most countries, and at times even prohibited.
AFC’s projects reacted quickly by exploring and testing different platforms to deliver webinars for their partner organisations and final beneficiaries. Through an internal working group, experiences across projects (as well as GOPA Group members) were shared and lessons-learned distilled. jph
As member of the GOPA Group, AFC accesses a strong ICT-infrastructure to store and share data securely and communicate reliably between:
head office
>80
41
projects
countries
Among the best-known solutions, such as Zoom, WebEx, and MS Teams, we evaluated the advantages and disadvantages, e.g. functionalities (such as ‘breakout-rooms’, translation options), data security, pricing model, etc. For a great webinar, the way content is prepared and presented is as important as the digital platform. AFC has developed a comprehensive guideline for creating webinars, which will enable project teams to meet high quality standards. Obviously, webinars are not suitable for all target groups such as farmers or rural bank/ MFI staff because they may not have (enough) reliable connectivity or access-devices, and sometimes they may not be fully computer-literate. Simpler formats can still work well. In India for instance, AFCsupported farmers have actively been using Whatsapp to share information about their crops. Oftentimes, radio continues to be a highly effective option to provide information as well as allowing interaction (call-in shows).
(January 2020)
On the other hand, some target groups may be more demanding. For these, AFC has embarked on providing e-learning courses, such as in Uganda in a project with Gateway, a digital learning platform specialised in providing digital learning courses to bank staff in lower income countries, e. g. Digitising Agriculture.
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
COMPLIANCE AND INTEGRIT Y - AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR WORK
Integrity and compliance are fundamental values of the GOPA Consulting Group and AFC, as a company of the GOPA Group, shares the same values and follows the same principles. The values and key principles of corporate social responsibility, respect and equal rights, legal compliance and anti-corruption, transparency and honesty, partnership and fairness, responsibility, and sustainability are an integral part of the general implementation of our projects and of the cooperation with our various implementing partners.
The aforementioned values and principles are defined in the GOPA Group Code of Ethics, which is signed by all Group employees. The GOPA Group Compliance and Integrity Management System, established since the end of last year, ensures the respect and smooth integration of the Group Policies and rules regarding compliance and integrity in each Group company.
application of policies and rules at company level, and handles all reported minor or severe compliance cases. Every company has to undergo a compliance audit once a year. In May 2020, the GOPA Group has set up a virtual platform to ensure that its project staff are trained on topics related to compliance and integrity in the context of development projects. To date, more than 200 project employees have completed the online training and received certificates. At the same time, we make sure that all our long-term project staff are briefed on Compliance and Integrity to raise their awareness, prevent misconduct, clarify responsibilities and reporting or communication channels, and react quickly and effectively. Our main policies and rules are also visibly displayed in all our project offices.
The Compliance and Integrity officer is the principal contact person when it comes to Compliance and Integrity and ensures that the Group policies are followed not only during project acquisition and project start, but also throughout the entire implementation phase of the project. The officer works very closely with the Compliance Advisor, who is charge of the
GOPA Group’s Compliance Reporting System Compliance Advisor
Supervisory Board
nominates members
Read more about compliance & integrity here:
informs on decisions
Compliance Committe provides information and assessment informs and advises
Annual report
advises
Compliance and integrity officer
informs
Managing Directors of GOPA Group company
https://tinyurl.com/yaycvbq9
informs
General staff, contract partners, suppliers having a concern (claimants and informants)
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informs
implements decisions of Compliance Committee
For further details, please contact compliance-advisor@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
AFC’S CONTRIBUTION TO RESEARCH PRAC TICAL EXPERIENCES OF THE VALUE CHAIN APPROACH AS A TOOL FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT AFC contributed to the Journal of the Working Group Developmental Anthropology “Ways out of extreme poverty, vulnerability and food security II”, as part of our collaboration with German universities and research institutes. AFC’s contribution focuses on practical experiences of the value chain approach as a tool for rural development.
Through this paper, we present a four-step approach for value chain development:
1 Value chain analysis jph
2 Specific activities to address key bottlenecks
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4
Specific activities to increase value addition
Institutional strengthening of actors across the value chain
This approach is illustrated with case studies based on our experiences in Mali, India, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Ghana. In the first step, we conclude that value chain development is directed towards key levers for solving bottlenecks or creating new value-addition opportunities. This often involves engaging with lead farmers, innovators, and investors throughout the value chain capable of driving change. At a later stage, poorer groups can be included and benefit from the development of agricultural value chains. Job creation at the processing stage is an obvious option for including poorer segments of society. However, many of these jobs are more likely to be in peri-urban environments closer to end markets, and therefore not an option for the rural poor.
At the farm level, there are opportunities to include poorer smallholders in higher-value value chains by: (i) helping overcome barriers to entry (training, access to finance, certification standards, lowering input costs etc.); and (ii) developing new business models (linking with off-takers and developing partnerships with processors, etc.). However, there are limits to how much the poorest, such as landless farmers, can engage in and benefit from such models. For such groups, other targeted social programmes will be required. Furthermore, we have to take into consideration the role of rural-urban migration. Many poor farmers will not stay in rural areas, particularly the younger generation will move to cities, where job opportunities will need to grow. Private investments aiming to make a profit in the long run will play a key role in developing agricultural value chains in the future. Investments in local processing and packaging units lead to direct job creation, but also an increased local demand for produce from smallholders, creating an opportunity for them to engage in higher-value markets. This is where we, as an international consultancy in cooperation with local extension services, can play a clear role to bridge the gap between rural development objectives and private sector investments in order to develop sustainable value chains benefitting all actors from the smallholder to the private investor and finally increase incomes for the rural population. Read the full article here: https://tinyurl.com/ybhpvahl
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
BEST PRAC TICES FOR ENSURING THE QUALIT Y OF VETERINARY PHARMACEUTICALS DURING LIVESTOCK EMERGENCY RESPONSES The Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS) is a set of international guidelines and standards for designing, implementing, and evaluating livestock interventions to help people affected by humanitarian crises. In preparation for the next edition of the Handbook, LEGS commissioned AFC to prepare a Discussion Paper on the quality of veterinary pharmaceuticals for livestock responses in emergencies1.
The project focused on reviewing this issue, deriving from both the LEGS Operational Research Project Report2, and on new research findings and documentation that have been produced since the publication of the current edition of the LEGS Handbook. LEGS requested that the paper brings together current thinking on the issue of veterinary pharmaceutical quality and usage in the context of emergency response. The International Federation of Animal Health has estimated the illegal veterinary medicine trade to be worth USD1 billion annually. These counterfeit products often contain lower concentrations of active ingredients and might contain other (harmful) ingredients; furthermore, they may be contaminated or present other quality challenges such as being expired. This
poses a serious threat to animal health and welfare because they could be harmful and ineffective in treating illnesses. More importantly, with regards to human health, the use of such pharmaceuticals in food-producing animals can decrease food safety. Their poor efficacy also increases the risk of zoonotic diseases and the development of antimicrobial resistance. Thus, the illegal veterinary market not only poses a risk to animal health and welfare but also human health – it is a true “One Health” challenge. The scale of the problem is greater in developing countries such as Africa, with the trade in substandard and non-registered pharmaceuticals estimated to be the same size as that of the official market.
Camels in Djibouti
In particular, the following topics were to be addressed:
Ensuring the provision of quality pharmaceuticals including the issue of counterfeit pharmaceuticals
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Ensuring the quality of the supply chain, including procurement, storage, transport, distribution, dosage and disposal
Strategies for preventing the development of anti-microbial resistance
The pros and cons of different purchase options for NGOs and government
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
A comprehensive literature review was conducted and interviews were held with key informants from agencies working in this sector (including Vétérinaires sans Frontières, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, University/Research Institutions, and LEGS trainers working across Africa and Asia) to better assess this challenge and come up with recommendations.
Based on the findings and using the LEGS Operational Research Model as a starting point, we developed the following 7-step framework for ensuring the quality of veterinary pharmaceuticals procured and used during emergency livestock interventions:
STEP 1
Participatory Mapping of the Supply Chain and Regulatory Framework Analysis
STEP 2
Pre-selection of Supply Chain Partners and Selection of Pharmaceuticals
STEP 3
Signing of Memorandum of Understanding among Supply Chain actors (Wholesaler, Pharmacist, Veterinarian, Animal Health Service Provider)
STEP 4
Capacity building of supply chain actors
STEP 5
Awareness raising within the community
STEP 6
Monitoring and Evaluation
STEP 7
Strengthening the regulatory framework & enforcement
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It is important to note that the majority of these steps should be applied during the preparedness phase, so that during emergency actors can work with and strengthen local supply chains as opposed to providing unfair competition (delivery of free drugs for example puts local pharmacists or veterinarians out of business).
Hufnagel, H. (2020). The Quality of Veterinary Pharmaceuticals: A briefing paper for the Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards. Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards, UK. https://tinyurl.com/y7mwzwf6 1
Kihu, S. et al. (2019). Operational Barriers to Applying LEGS. Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards, https://tinyurl.com/y9vy8586 2
Holly Hufnagel holly.hufnagel@afci.de
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
ON OUR WAY TO ISO CERTIFICATIONS
AFC is ISO 9001-certified since 2014 and continuously strives to maintain efficient processes and improve our internal work where appropriate. This year again, the certification has been successfully audited and confirmed for another twelve months.
As environmental aspects are becoming more and more important in our daily work, AFC decided to seek for an ISO 14001 certification (Environmental Management System EMS) for its premises in Bonn. The ISO 14001 applies to the environmental aspects of its activities, products, and services that the organisation determines it can either control or influence. AFC’s EMS was audited and certified on November 4, 2020. The further reduction of our environmental footprint started with the definition of the most relevant environmental aspects or activities, services or products that interact with the environment.
Reducing paper consumption was initially implemented by disconnecting two paper shredders and using a locked aluminum box instead for collecting sensitive documents which can be securely destroyed later on. In addition, for the 7th year in a row, we have reduced carbon dioxide emissions from our regular business flights (261 tons for 2019). This year, AFC supports the renewable energies from crop residues project in India through our contribution to Atmosfair. This project enables small farmers in India to sell their previously worthless crop waste to biomass plants and thereby replacing fossil fuels by renewable energy sources.
For AFC's offices in Bonn, the following steps tackled CO2 emissions, paper, and energy and water consumption:
The measures are continuously monitored and measured against our environmental goals. We are striving to continually improve our environmental performance.
-4% Reduction of copy/ printer paper consumption by 4% within one year
-1% Reduction of energy consumption by 1% within one year
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-1% Reduction of CO2-emissions by 1% within one year
In addition to the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, AFC is also aiming for the ISO 45001 certification for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) for its premises located in Bonn and aims to reduce occupational injuries and diseases, including promoting and protecting physical and mental well-being. As first steps towards certification, AFC reviewed its existing OH&S measures, and entered into a new contract with a service provider covering both occupational health and occupational safety services. Once the current risk assessment review is completed in November, preparations for certification will begin immediately.
-1% Reduction of water consumption by 1% within one year
The OH&S Management System will aim to:
• • •
Prevent occupational accidents. Reduce the risk and rate of occupational illnesses. Comply with government regulations.
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
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Actions will include:
Four meetings per year of the Occupational Health & Safety Committee
Development of an OH&S training for new employees
As all three standards follow the High Level Structure of the ISO, AFC aims to develop an integrated Quality, Safety, Health and Environment (QSHE) Manual in the future.
Recurrent training on OH&S subjects and updates
Prevention of occupational accidents for visitors, external experts, subcontractors, etc.
Quality Management officer: Stefanie Maak stefanie.maak@afci.de
Preventive medical check-ups on staff activities abroad with special climatic stress conditions
EMS Officer: Catalina Berger catalina.berger@afci.de
Preventive medical eye-sight tests on activities using computer monitors
OS&H Officer: Johannes Geisen johannes.geisen@afci.de
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
SELEC TED PROJEC TS OVERVIEW
Uganda • page 17 Support to Refugees and Host Communities
Togo • page 19 Creation of a Purchasing Centre for Pineapple Producers
Donor: GIZ, EU Budget: € 3,400,000 Duration: 06/2019 – 09/2022
Donor: GIZ Budget: € 1,450,000 Duration: 07/2019 – 10/2020
Mali • page 23 Overcoming Challenges to Support the Mango Value Chain
Namibia • page 25 SME Mentoring and Finance
Donor: GIZ Budget: € 4,000,000 Duration: 01/2017 – 12/2020
East Africa • page 31 Gender Equality in a Changing World Donor: EIB Budget: € 9,318,000 Duration: 05/2014 – 10/2020
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Donor: GIZ Budget: €58,000 Duration: 11/2019 - 04/2021
Togo • page 33 Strengthening the Training Capacities of Agricultural and Rural Training Centres Donor: AFD Budget: € 520,000 Duration: 09/2018 – 05/2021
Mozambique • page 20 Improving the Access to Financial Services for MSMEs in Rural Areas
Uganda • page 21 Nudging the Financial Sector to Fund (Commercial) Projects for Biodiversity
Donor: GIZ Budget: € 1,475,000 Duration: 12/2019 – 11/2021
Donor: KfW Budget: € 1,000,000 Duration: 02/2018 – 02/2021
Mali • page 26 AFC Supports Rice Cultivation through the Intensive Rice Cultivation System
Ghana • page 28 A Biometric and Hybrid Payment Systems for Financial Inclusion
Cote d’Ivoire • page 30 Processing of Cocoa and its By-products
Donor: KfW Budget: € 539,000 Duration: 09/2015 – 12/2022
Donor: GIZ Budget: € 1,520,000 Duration: 04/2019 – 11/2021
Morocco • page 38 CECEMA Facing the Pandemic
Palestine • page 39 A Deposit Insurance for a Sound Banking System
Donor: GIZ Budget: € 1,140,000 Duration: 02/2020 – 12/2021
Zambia • page 35 Climate Adapted Farming Methods: The AKTC Experience Donor: BMEL Budget: € 2,475,000 Duration: 08/2017 – 07/2021
Donor: BMEL Budget: € 1,396,000 Duration: 01/2019 – 12/2019
Senegal • page 22 Feasibility Study for Spirulina Production Donor: Enabel Budget: € 112,800 Duration: 07/2020 – 12/2020
Donor: KfW Budget: € 572,000 Duration: 05/2018 – 04/2021
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
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India • page 41 Mechanisation of Tomato Cultivation Donor: GIZ Budget: € 3,000,000 Duration: 04/2019 – 03/2021
Kazakhstan • page 43 New Focus on Agricultural Policy Donor: BMEL Budget: € 1,707,000 Duration: 01/2020 – 12/2022
Kyrgyzstan • page 45 Value Chains and Their Impact on Sustainable Economic Development Donor: GIZ Budget: € 2,235,000 Duration: 09/2016 – 12/2020
Uzbekistan • page 51 Trainings on the Implementation of the BCI Standard System in Cotton Production
Uzbekistan • page 52 Support to Conceptualising an Agro-Logistic Centre in Namangan
Ukraine • page 54 Developing the Internal Capacity of the Oshadbank for Lending to MSMEs
Donor: GIZ Budget: € 117,000 Duration: 05/2020 – 12/2021
Donor: GIZ Budget: € 128,000 Duration: 06/2020 – 11/2020
Donor: EBRD Budget: € 300,300 Duration: 07/2019 – 07/2020
Thailand • page 49 German-Thai Cooperation Project to Promote Cluster Farms
Donor: ADB Budget: € 1,400,000 Duration: 01/2020 – 01/2023
Donor: GFA / BMEL Budget: € 1,665,000 Duration: 09/2020 – 08/2023
Lithuania • page 55 Supporting Social and Affordable Housing
Moldova • page 56 Horticulture Financing Continues Despite COVID-19
Donor: CEB Budget: € 170,000 Duration: 10/2019 – 03/2020
Donor: EIB Budget: € 2,184,000 Duration: 04/2018 – 04/2021
KEY
Colombia • page 58 Access to Green Finance for the Agricultural Sector of Colombia Donor: GIZ Budget: € 1,054,000 Duration: 11/2018 – 02/2021
Laos • page 47 Climate Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project
Agriculture & Agribusiness Project
Financial Sector Development Project
Project
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AFC
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
current presence in Africa 66
Total projects
67 Total project offices
648 Total project staff
NORTHERN AFRICA 11
5
56
WESTERN AFRICA 36
43
CENTRAL AND EASTERN AFRICA
430
9
18
146
SOUTHERN AFRICA 10
1
16
Number of projects per country 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
AFC major offices in: Botswana / Gaborone, Burkina Faso / Ouagadougou, Ghana / Accra, Ivory Coast / Abidjan, Kenya / Nairobi, Madagascar / Antananarivo, Malawi / Lilongwe, Mali / Bamako, Mauritania / Nouakchott, Morocco / Rabat, Niger / Niamey, Nigeria / Abuja, Sierra Leone / Freetown, Tongo / Lomé, Uganda / Kampala GOPA Group offices in: Egypt / Cairo, Morocco / Rabat, Cote d’Ivoire / Abidjan, South Africa / Pretoria 16
Data from 01/2019 to 01/2020
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
SUPPORT TO REFUGEES AND HOST COMMUNITIES UGANDA Since June 2019, AFC, together with its local partner AFARD, works towards improving agricultural productivity, value addition, access to finance, and market linkages for some 5,000 small-scale producers, focusing on vegetables, small ruminants, field crops, and honey. The beneficiaries are equally made up of refugees and members of host communities, giving special attention to women and youth.
The hosting communities in the northwest are among the poorest in Uganda, with only insufficient private sector development, barely formal employment, and an unfavourable investment climate. The main source of income is agriculture, in which more than 70% of the Ugandan workforce is active.
relief to a more medium- to long-term perspective of private sector development, thus putting a substantial focus on market orientation rather than subsistence agriculture.
The Ugandan refugee policy allows the newly arrived refugees to pursue employment and establish businesses. A piece of land is made available to them, but important prerequisites for its adequate use are missing. To be able to put the small areas under more intensive cultivation, the access to suitable seeds and seedlings, knowledge of modern production technology as well as marketing possibilities have to be improved. Marketoriented agricultural production is impeded by unpredictable market trends and drastically dropping of prices of agricultural produce, since an increased commercial production faces a low local market absorption capacity. jph
The original approach of the project aimed at facilitating the transition from a rather short-term perspective of emergency
Uganda is the country with the most refugees in Africa
The vast majority of the refugees live in settlements in the northwest of the country
Distribution of watering cans in Palorinya
Most of the refugees are South Sudanese, with
1.4 million
82%
refugees live in Uganda
being women and children under the age of 18
Among them are many unemployed youth and households headed by women, a large number of them illiterate
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
Although project activities could largely be sustained during the COVID-19-inspired three-month lock-down, from which activities in support of agriculture were largely exempt, the restrictions on the population in terms of mobility and group gatherings have taken their toll on the effectiveness of the project intervention. For instance, group-based trainings on good agronomic practices, climate smart agriculture, and farming as a business had to be postponed or implemented on a one-to-one basis, which naturally is much slower and resulted in a situation, where the needs of a number of beneficiaries could be met on time. Also, the Village Savings and Loan Associations that had been supported by the project could not conduct meetings and thus did not have group decisions and disbursement and reimbursement of loans, carrying the risk of group disintegration. The most relevant effect on the logic of intervention may however stem from the general economic slowdown that is expected to be triggered in Uganda by the COVID-19 crisis. Marketing options at local, regional, and national level have always been rather modest for agricultural stakeholders in northwest Uganda and may be reduced even further as a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis. Also, business opportunities in South Sudan and Congo, which historically have been important market outlets for Northern Uganda, have basically collapsed.
In the light of this, it remains to be seen if the project moves somewhat away from its oriented approach and will have to put more emphasis on supporting food crops for self-consumption.
Two group members watering a field
For further information, please contact:
rs of
g farme Supportin gan n Akulu Ara
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An advisory visit for cabbag e production under COVID-19 conditions
Matthias Webendorfer matthias.webendorfer@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
CREATION OF A PURCHASING CENTRE FOR PINEAPPLE PRODUCERS TOGO The Project to support the Improvement of the Pineapple Sector in Togo (PROCAT) is part of the Programme for Rural Development and Agriculture (ProDRA), with the objective to improve the technical and economic performance of contributors along selected agricultural value chains. ProDRA is thus pursuing the improvement of horizontal organisations, i.e. producer associations and cooperatives, in order to increase their entrepreneurial qualification and productivity. With this in mind, since 2016 pineapple producers have been supported in the revitalisation of existing cooperatives and unions and the establishment of new producer groups in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Corporate Law in Africa (OHADA law).
AFC supports the project through training/capacity building, the drafting of regulations, and the registration of unions/ cooperatives. The final objective is to support the establishment of a National Federation of Pineapple Producers’ Cooperatives (FENACOPAT) in Togo. Thus, FENACOPAT, which was created on 26 July 2019, formulates in its statute Art. 4 in addition to encouraging and facilitating the grouped sale of members’ products and facilitating the marketing of agricultural products through the search for markets and the signing of sales contracts. jph
It is within the framework of the PROCAT, co-financed by the European Union, that AFC was mandated by the GIZ to contribute to the improvement of the structures involved in the conventional and organic pineapple value chain in Togo. The overall objective of the project is to identify and reduce production costs while increasing processing efficiency, in
order to make the final product more competitive compared to products from Asian countries. AFC has found in FENACOPAT a decisive partner in the search for solutions to the current problems, related to the asymmetrical relations between producers and processors. FENACOPAT will eventually allow: i) obtaining the quality and quantity of pineapple at the right time; ii) the introduction of contract farming; and subsequently, iii) the facilitation of traceability and organic certification of production in order to offer quality products to processing companies. To address the current challenges, the project has signed local subsidy agreements with FENACOPAT and several other actors involved along the pineapple value chain to promote trade relations between producers and processors.
For further information, please contact:
k by the Official handover of the truc s GIZ to Thie Dr. r age Man Programme . the President of FENACOPAT
Inauguration of the Tsévié Shopping Centre office
Stéphane De Mfouangoum Peter Bernhardt stephane.demfouangoum@afci.de peter.bernhardt@afci.de
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
IMPROVING THE ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR MSMEs IN RURAL AREAS MOZAMBIQUE Since 2015, AFC is assisting the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in enhancing inclusive and poverty reducing economic growth by supporting its partners from the regions of Inhambane, Sofala, Manica, Nampula, and Zambezia in Mozambique. AFC is working with important stakeholders like commercial banks and microfinance NGOs, as well as with the Mozambican Banking Association (AMB), which functions as an increasingly important link between the banks and the regulator, Banco de Moçambique.
AFC’s team of international experts is closely working with BancABC Mozambique and Banco Letshego Mozambique to:
implement and expand agency banking services
to enable under- and unbanked people avail of formal financial services at their doorstep
Within the framework of the national financial inclusion strategy, AFC supported the Central Bank of Mozambique in releasing the unified mobile-money guidelines, while it also approved two regulations, and all of these aimed to improve access to banking products (e.g. opening a simplified bank account, savings plans). In collaboration with the AMB, a detailed regulatory impact assessment was conducted to assess the impact of pricing related regulations on the financial inclusion efforts in general and on the banks’ operational performance in particular. This cooperation
resulted in increased involvement of the Mozambican banks in sectoral communication among different stakeholders on key issues and challenges. Most recently, the AFC team has developed a COVID-19 Response Guidelines for Financial Service Providers (FSP) in Mozambique, aiming to ensure business continuity measures in the sector, as well as a Toolkit supporting the application of the guidelines by the FSPs. Additionally, a series of webinars have been organised to increase the awareness about the guidelines and facilitate the application of the tools in an FSP’s daily operations. The GIZ, with support from the BMZ and co-financed by the EU, has been implementing inclusive and poverty-reducing economic growth measures in Mozambique since 2014. While we continue supporting the current GIZ’s partners, we have recently started providing our support to two more banks Banco Comercial e de Investimentos (BCI) and MyBucks Banking Corporate (MBC) - in their efforts towards the agency banking.
Results of first quarter, 2020:
62%
of the total number of reported in the country banking agents (1,697) were the agents of the two banks (1,060)
In addition, the bank’s staff were trained in the development of customer-centric and gender-sensitive banking products and services
20
For further information, please contact:
Vladislav Nimerenco vladislav.nimerenco@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
NUDGING THE FINANCIAL SEC TOR TO FUND (COMMERCIAL) PROJEC TS FOR BIODIVERSIT Y UGANDA Biodiversity loss is one of the effects of climate change. The KfW Development Bank entrusted AFC with a project to mitigate loss of biodiversity in Uganda.
Biodiversity loss contributes to climate change as the world loses important natural assets to adapt to climate change. The KfW Development Bank entrusted AFC with a project to mitigate loss of biodiversity in Uganda. AFC supports the East-African Development Bank (EADB) to assess commercial investments that also enhance biodiversity. In 2020, the AFC team built a pipeline of potential investments that enhance biodiversity and KfW’s Biodiversity Investment Fund (BIF) has assessed pipeline projects directly and EADB lends from the BIF projects found creditworthy. jph
In the future, BIF might lend to banks for on-lending to enterprises. The project created an e-learning course as a support to this new channel. On-lending through banks to their SME customers will allow the BIF to reach additional, smaller investments that enhance biodiversity in the target sectors such as aquaculture, forestry, organic agriculture, renewable energy, and tourism. Thus, an approach to support the banks had to be created. AFC’s e-learning course on managing climate finance risks:
At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Uganda. For a while, no physical trainings have been possible. With active support from AFC, various ‘digital options’ were considered and it was decided to go beyond a ‘classical’ webinar by developing an e-learning course instead. The KfW approved of the idea in May, and a 4-module-course has been developed since. While the AFC team has excellent expertise on biodiversity and how to enhance it in the target sectors, developing an e-learning was an entirely new field. Therefore, an instructional design specialist and software programming specialists were added to the team. Articulate 360 was selected as the platform on which the course will run as it met our specifications in terms of design, interactive learner experience, data protection, costing model, etc. The e-learning course will be launched in Q1 of 2021 and will be accessible to EADB, its BIF partner banks, as well as other financial institutions which would like to learn about or embark on climate risk finance in the future.
Module 1
Module 2
Module 3
Module 4
Why address climate risks and biodiversity impacts in business financing?
Methodologies
Case Studies
On-lending mechanisms
• Climate Finance Risks • Biodiversity • Climate Resilience • Opportunities
• How to become ClimateResilient • IFC PS framework; • Biodiversity Impact
For further information, please contact:
• • • • •
Agriculture Aquaculture Tourism Forestry Renewable Energy
• Appraisal tool, etc. (more Uganda specific) Juraj Ujhazy juraj.ujhazy@afci.de
Oliver Schmidt oliver.schmidt@afci.de
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
FEASIBILIT Y STUDY FOR SPIRULINA PRODUC TION SENEGAL Have you ever heard of spirulina? A blue-green algae, spirulina is a nutrient-dense “superfood” packed with protein, complex carbohydrates, iron, and vitamins A, K, and B complex.
The pigment-protein complex phycocyanine gives its distinct colour and is also used to colour food and confectionary products for the last decade. The interest in producing and commercialising Spirulina has been happening for more than 60 years, but it is only in the 1980s that a significant market has developed. This gap is due to the interaction among technological progress in production, increased consumer health awareness, and the development of the concept of dietary supplements. In addition to human consumption (70%), spirulina is also added to pet food, animal feed (especially fish & poultry) and cosmetics. Today, spirulina production is dominated by Chinese and North American companies which produce on an industrial scale with an average of 15,000 tons of spirulina entering the markets each year. In Europe, and especially in France, there are numerous small-scale producers, who produce spirulina as a dietary supplement and market it directly to end consumers via farmers’ markets or through the internet. To date, data on spirulina production and consumption on the African continent are unavailable, but there are several
small initiatives of spirulina production by small-scale private producers, Non-Government Organisations or Christian communities. These productions are often of charitable nature and aim at improving the local population’s nutrition. The feasibility study commissioned by Enabel for commercial spirulina production in Central Senegal aims to investigate whether the Senegalese conditions, particularly the high level of solar radiation, can provide a competitive advantage over other countries producing spirulina in the large-scale for the international market. AFC is responsible for implementing the study, conducting an international market analysis, analysing internal and external production factors, and developing bankable business plans for different production sizes.
Spirulina products
World Spirulina Market Structure by Segment 2018/2019 Other feed
3% Poultry feed
Nutrtional supplements
66%
For further information, please contact:
4%
Aquaculture feed
4%
Pet food
9% 22
Cosmetics
3% Raw material for Phycocyanin
10%
Noelie Svara noelie.svara@afci.de
Ulrich März ulrich.marz@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES TO SUPPORT THE MANGO VALUE CHAIN MALI The mango marketing season in Mali coincided with the start of the pandemic and this year’s mango marketing is particularly notable because of the tightening of mango export rules by the European Union (EU) to deal with the fruit fly and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was important to act quickly, as mangoes are perishable products and the season is short which is from April to June.
The government introduced a number of measures to control the pandemic, which directly impacted the marketing of mangoes, such as limiting the number of people at work, curfews, etc., and extended the time for transporting and packaging mangoes before export. In addition, stakeholders were affected by disruptions in supply chains and global demand. Many orders were cancelled and the importation of cartons for the transport of mangoes was disrupted.
The complementary activities on the following page were carried out under the responsibility of the Interprofession in the food sector allowed economic operators to achieve 40% of their export forecasts and to record only one case of seizure attributable to fruit fly tracks in 2019.
With regard to fruit fly, the EU has requested that Mali present a control strategy and has foreseen that if more than five fruit fly seizures are observed during the current season, they would ban all imports from Mali to the EU. jph
AFC, in the face of enormous challenges, supported the development and implementation of the national mango fly control strategy and developed an emergency action plan to deal with COVID-19.
Women working in mango processing
"I am pleased to inform you that Mali has had only one interception at the EU level due to traces of fly bites for this mango 2020 campaign. I congratulate all the actors of the mango sector and thank the technical services of the State, as well as the technical and financial partners for their constant support and assistance.� Mr. Moctar Fofana
processing Women working in mango
The president of Interprofession
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
Thus, our AFC-ECO-DLG consortium has implemented the following measures in the framework of the Centre d’Innovations Vertes - Mali (under GIZ funding): Fruit fly control
Training of 25 inspectors from the National Directorate of Agriculture (NDA) on the new inspection and phytosanitary certification procedures
Support to the inspection of fruit fly control measures by the DNA in 150 orchards
Training of 32 heads of station and their staff, i.e. 2,500 people, on good mango packaging practices
Training of 1,600 trackers and 13,000 producers on good practices for fruit fly management
Internal audit at the level of phytosanitary control structures, mango exporting companies, and orchards
Adaptations to cope with the COVID-19 situation
Evaluation of the challenges of the 17 stations and development of a targeted response
Training of more than 5,100 people in the mango agricultural value chain on COVID-19 preventive measures
Supply of 300 sanitary kits for packing stations, processing units and harvesters
Collaboration with the regional health directorates to protect workers’ health and guarantee the legal right to continue to operate packing and processing units
Collaboration with 30 local radio stations to raise awareness of COVID-19 on a large scale
For further information, please contact:
Oumar Assarki oumar.assarki@afci.de
24
Yaya Ballo yaya.ballo@afci.de
Holly Hufnagel holly.hufnagel@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
SME MENTORING AND FINANCE NAMIBIA AFC works with the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) to implement the National SME-Financing Strategy by establishing a mentoring and coaching programme for SME-borrowers.
Namibia is the world’s second-most thinly populated country, with vastly uneven income distribution. Youth unemployment is even higher than in many other African countries. The median age of Namibians is about 21 years old. The government of Namibia, with the support of GIZ and other donors, aims at building a more dynamic small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. The mentoring & coaching programme (MCP) will strengthen financial management of entrepreneurs and thus encourage banks to step up their SME-lending. The MCP is one of the three ‘vehicles’ of the National SME Financing Strategy, including as well a credit guarantee scheme, launched in 2020, and a venture capital funds to follow later. All three are hosted by DBN. jph
In February, the DBN formally endorsed the MCP-concept that AFC developed. However, implementation was affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, DBN and AFC adapted swiftly by creating and piloting the induction module to the MCP by using tele-conferencing. The BFS (Business Financial Solutions Namibia), a local company with SME-mentoring experience, also supports ‘on-boarding’ of the SME-mentors so they can apply the concept when mentoring DBN’s (and those from other banks under the credit guarantee scheme) borrowers. The pilot mentoring phase began in the first quarter of 2021.
Approach: coaching, encourages peer-learning (less cost, equality efficient? - pilot test!)
Month 1 Introduction module
Month 2 Selection of participants
Month 3 Assessment of enterprises
Month 4 Mentoring and coaching phase
Month 5 Performance & outcome review
Topics covered in the induction module:
For further information, please contact:
Loan contract
Loan cost to the borrower
Loan amount
Loan period
Oliver Schmidt oliver.schmidt@afci.de
Friederike Schilling friederike.schilling@afci.de
25
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
AFC SUPPORTS RICE CULTIVATION THROUGH THE INTENSIVE RICE CULTIVATION SYSTEM MALI The AFC-ECO team, through its interventions for the 2020 rice campaign, has supported several hydro-agricultural development sites (HAD) in the regions of Koulikoro and Sikasso.
In the fourth and current phase of the Support programme for the local irrigation sub-sector (PASSIP), AFC-ECO is supporting the improvement of the farming systems of 20 HADs to increase food and nutritional security. The Intensive rice cultivation system (IRS)
is an agro-ecological and climate-smart approach which improves the productivity of paddy rice by using less seed, fertilizer, and water. This approach allows the plant to increase its genetic potential, resist drought, and not to deteriorate in case of flooding.
Initiatives to improve farming practices
Supporting the adoption of the IRS through the establishment and management of farmers' school fields (13 in Sikasso and 5 in Koulikoro) jointly with the Regional Directorates of Agriculture and local NGOs
Rice seeds
Equipping certain farmer training fields with agricultural equipment (motorised cultivators, multicultivators, sarclo-tillers)
Providing seeds and fertilizers to rice farmers through IRS and conventional rice cultivation practice to increase their resilience to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
Mineral fertilizers
Fertinova
Type
Type
Nature/ Variety BouakĂŠ Warda (BW)
Wassa
NĂŠrica
Quantities (T)
7.4
26
4.1
Urea
Diammonium Phosphate (DAP)
Quantities (T)
0.5
33.2
6
Organic Fertilizer Quantities (T)
22.5
Number of AHA sites involved
Number of AHA sites involved
Number of AHA sites involved
20
18
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
For both regions, this supply of inputs for rice cultivation comprises about 4% of rice seed needs, 5% urea, and 1% DAP. Rice productivity will be improved in AHA sites and should contribute to the food security of farming households. The support is very timely for producers, as its limited access to fertilizers is linked to the low efficiency of the input distribution network as well as the limited income of rice farmers in the localities concerned. The PASSIP is a German cooperation programme in Mali implemented in 2008 and have been contributing since 2012 to the National Programme of Proximity Irrigation initiated by the Malian government. jph
“We are delighted with the support and advice that the AFC-ECO team is giving us. Thanks to the seeds received, we have discovered new varieties of rice that we didn’t know before. Also, before our training on SRI, we used to sow in the air, but now the sowing is done in rows and in pots with 25 cm spacing; this allows the plant to develop very well. We are also satisfied with the training we received on the techniques of the Champ Ecole Paysan which allowed us to work together on a plot and to solve individually the problems that each one faces in his rice field with SRI. Thanks to the fertilizers received from AFC-ECO, we will improve the productivity of our individual fields as well as that of the Farmer Field Schools on which the demonstrations on the intensive rice cultivation system are taking place”. Mamadou F. Diarra
Farmer's school field in Sikasso region
Producer and Vice Chair of the Soninkégny hydro-agricultural management committee
For further information, please contact:
Hydro-agricultural development of Kenekolo (Koulikoro Region)
Ola Yves Afouda olayves.afouda@afci.de
Marie Laetitia Catta marie-laetitia.catta@afci.de
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
A BIOMETRIC AND HYBRID PAYMENT SYSTEMS FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION GHANA AFC supports the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS) to enhance the National Payment System via biometric and hybrid payment card e-zwich infrastructure.
The biometric payment system e-zwich was created to enhance banking services mainly for the underbanked and unbanked citizens and aims to reduce the reliance on cash in the Ghanaian economy, mobilise domestic savings, simplify user access to banks, reduce the cost of banking service delivery, and particularly extend financial inclusion. KfW supports GhIPSS and financial institutions with a EUR 7 million loan for investments in e-zwich compatible Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and point of sale (POS) devices and cards, including the respective consumables on a revolving basis. The procurement and delivery of ATMs, POS devices, and e-zwich cards to the banks is ongoing, so far more than 100 hybrid ATMs are deployed in Ghana with a support of the project AFC implements. The GhIPSS Limited initiated the year 2020 by extending the scope of its digital channels and increasing its reach. To this end, the company launched a number of digital products and additional clearing platforms and has successfully completed the integration and on-boarding of 6 new Fintech companies.
The figure below shows the e-zwich, Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI), GhIPSS Instant Pay (GIP), gh-link, and Clearing House (CH) clearing transactions volume and value. 2020 half year summary performance
VOL: 5.2M
e-zwich
VOL: 13M
MMI
VAL: GHc 1.1B
VOL: 2.4M
GIP
VAL: GHc 2.7B
VOL: 300K
gh-link
VAL: GHc 141M
VOL: 7.1M
CH
VAL: GHc 104B
VOL: 300K
VOL: 4K
VAL: GHc 200M
VAL: GHc 800K
Account
Bank card with fingerprint
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VAL: GHc 4B
Wallet
e-zwich
VOL: 2.1M
VOL: 200K
VAL: GHc 800M
VAL: GHc 108M
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
In 2020, total transaction volume reached 29 million, with a value of Ghana Cedi (GHc) 113 billion (USD 20 billion), and this represent a growth of 81% over the 2019 half year performance of 16 million transactions. There are currently over three million active e-zwich cardholders, 50% of which are employees of various governmental institutions as well as beneficiaries of a number of donor-funded social interventions. In Ghana, institutions such as the Nation Builders Corp (NABCO) employs over 80,000 trainers and the National Service Scheme (NSS) with over 60,000 personnel pay their employees via e-zwich. The government also pays allowances the of over 60,000 Nursing and Teacher trainee via e-zwich. Finally, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty, a World Bank-funded social intervention program deployed nationwide, has over 300,000 beneficiaries who are all paid via e-zwich using the Payment Distribution System.
2019 and 2020 half year comparative performance
MMI
16% CH
GIP
2% gh-link
45% 2020
3%
e-zwich
34%
CH
45%
jph
Lastly, mobile money agents and credit unions have increasingly added e-zwich agent business to their portfolio of services. E-zwich agent transactions in the first half of 2020 increased by 108%, from about 400,000 transactions processed in the same period in 2019 to 700,000 transactions in 2020.
MMI
16% 2021 GIP
2%
e-zwich
34%
gh-link
3%
For further information, please contact:
installed ATM Rural Bank client uses newly
Smartphone and credit card with scanning biometric fingerprint for approval to access for payment mobile banking
Sigitas Bubnys sigitas.bubnys@afci.de
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
PROCESSING OF COCOA AND ITS BY-PRODUCTS COTE D’IVOIRE The Green Innovation Centre encourages cooperative societies and small and medium-sized enterprises to get involved. Since February 2019, Côte d’Ivoire is the 16th country to benefit from the global programme of the GIZ Green Innovation Center for the agri-food sector. AFC implements the processing and marketing of cocoa and its by-products to promote the increase of incomes of cooperative societies and SMEs, and create employment, particularly in the processing of products.
To do so, AFC has adopted an approach that follows the global action matrix promoted by the GIZ:
Diagnostic studies were then conducted to characterise these actors and establish their reference situation. A global and specific action plan was drawn up at the end of these various studies.
Seven categories of innovations were thus selected on the basis of accessibility to the target audience and financial viability. Technical and financial pre-feasibility studies were undertaken for each type of product to confirm these choices.
AFC is also contributing, with GIZ in the lead and three partners in the project (INCUB’IVOIR, National Agency for Rural Development - ANADER and Institut National Polytechnique Houphouët Boigny - INP-HB), to the establishment of two incubator-accelerator centers; one in the west of Côte d’Ivoire in Gagnoa and the other in the center in Yamoussoukro. These centers will constitute the epicenter of the dissemination stage of the selected innovations. All the equipment will be installed there and, once installed, will serve as didactic tools for the training of the selected actors.
Subsequently, 14 small and medium-sized enterprises and 52 cooperative societies were pre-selected.
The anchoring stage will start when the previous dissemination phase is completed.
Identify innovations
Disseminate
Anchor
For further information, please contact:
Model of Cocoa Fermentation Boxes at the ANADER Training Center in Gagnoa
30
Guéfala Yeo guefala.yeo@afci.de
Noelie Svara noelie.svara@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
GENDER EQUALITY IN A CHANGING WORLD EAST AFRICA AND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Improving gender equality by increasing women’s access to financial products and services results to a more balanced society and a better working environment. AFC provided the Women in Leadership series of trainings to banks in Tanzania and Rwanda as part of the EIB Financial Sector Technical Assistance Programme in East and Central Africa.
A gender strategy for banks has been developed not only in Uganda but also for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where currently: jph
female branch managers
36%
19%
female team heads
For a country where women are mostly employed in lower level jobs, the bank is already well ahead in creating an inclusive workplace.
AFC worked remotely with the bank to formalise their internal gender equality policy by building on this position. A framework strategy was devised based on the inputs of female employees through an open-ended questionnaire, providing interesting suggestions for actions to enhance the gender equality within the bank. The DRC and East African countries in general, strongly prefer that meetings are held face to face but, the communication infrastructure is often limited. However, in these challenging times caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, AFC still delivered high quality trainings, as confirmed by trainees’ evaluation results. Due to disrupted travel, training plans were quickly redesigned and online meeting tools were used. Sessions were reduced to intensive half-day workshops with less participants and continuous discussions to guarantee good learning outcomes. The different group dynamics and reduced body language also fostered an increased participation, especially for the shy trainees. Ultimately, participants adapted and embraced the modified training situation. The bank’s management in DRC recognised the importance of gender equality and an atmosphere was created in which staff felt more comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions.
For further information, please contact:
Equal access to finance promoted Yvette’s food trade businesses in Rwanda
Equal access to finance promoted A nastasie’s hardware st ore in Rwan da
Friederike Graupner friederike.graupner@afci.de
Holger Christ holger.christ@afci.de
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
CASE STUDY TARGET GROUP IMPAC T, WOMEN AND GENDER FINANCE
Support to Uganda Development Bank to Develop Gender Strategy Although women account for half the population, they generally do not have the same opportunities as the male population which is reflected in employment opportunities, difference in pay, as well as access to financial services. Reducing gender-based inequality has proven to be closely linked to increased economic development, resulting in higher income per capita, increased sustainability, and enhanced social stability. The Uganda Development Bank (UDB) aspires to promote gender equality in the development of its operations, recognising gender as a cross-cutting element. In addition, the bank is working towards allocating at least 30% of capital to women-owned or -led enterprises by the end of 2024.
To support this effort, UDB has accessed an EIB financing facility which requires that 25% to 30% of the loan proceeds are provided to businesses that contribute to women’s economic empowerment and gender equality in accordance with the 2X challenge, which has established a number of criteria that qualify improvement of gender equality by focusing on access to finance for women-owned or women-led businesses, increasing women’s employment opportunities and women’s access to products and services.
Correspondingly, the project provided support to UDB to develop a gender strategy to guide efforts to improve outreach to women and build capacity to monitor sex-disaggregated data to inform product and pipeline development. By committing to meet the 2X Challenge by the end of 2024, UDB can actively assess specific investment opportunities for women’s economic empowerment and track progress against those criteria.
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
STRENGTHENING THE TRAINING CAPACITIES OF AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL TRAINING CENTRES TOGO The strengthening of the training system in Togo’s agricultural sector has made it possible to target around 40 agricultural and rural training centres (CFAR), through the Structuring Improvement of Rural Agricultural Training and Integration (SAFARI) project. The centres are:
35
Divided into three categories: • • •
of them have their investment project
Dynamic Intermediate Fragile
A facilitator and a renovated building are made available to the Professional Association of CFAR
Support for the preparation of investment projects The desire to train qualified and competent human resources, adapted to the demands of the labour market, is a very strong challenge. This has led the Togolese state to support public and private centres. The support to these centres started with the training of their managers in the development of investment projects. This support has led to the availability of around thirty project documents. Based on these documents, the needs of each of the eligible project centres have been selected according to their category and these are the subject of procurement contracts.
Six ministerial executives are currently being trained at the ENSFEA in Toulouse, in addition to three others who have already received their final diploma
jph
Categorisation of CFARs On the basis of a rating based on criteria agreed and shared with the centres, three categories have been distinguished. These categories make it possible to better target the differentiated support to be given to each of the centres
Possible ownership of the equipment
Forms of support
Construction Provision of equipment (tractor, tiller, etc.) Endowments (small equipment, inputs, materials) Management support (administrative and accounting functions, governance, development of a business plan, etc.) Provision of pedagogical tools (practical sheets etc.) Training / recycling of trainers Support to: 1. The reworking of diagnoses (of centres and territories) and 2. The elaboration of establishment projects
Fragile
Intermediaries
Dynamics
Categories of CFAR 33
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
Institutional support for the association of training centres (APCFAR) So far, the following achievements should be emphasised: • •
•
Recruitment of a facilitator; The provision of a renovated building to APCFAR and the premises were granted by the CFAR INFA in Tové, which is supervised by the Togolese Ministry of Agriculture; and Obtaining recognition from APCFAR.
Support to this structure enables it to strengthen its capacity to contribute to improving the governance of the agricultural and rural training sub-sector and to provide appropriate services to its members. Training of ministerial executives Nine executives from the ministries in charge of agriculture (MAPAH) and vocational training (METFIP) have been enrolled in the Master 2 in training engineering and employment systems (IFSE) at the ENSFEA in Toulouse to better ensure the governance of the agricultural and rural training sub-sector at the institutional and structural level. Among them, two MAPAH executives and one from METFIP have completed their training. This training should enable them to be a driving force in making proposals for the strategic plan.
After three years of implementation of the SAFARI project, the results are still mixed, due to a delay noted since the beginning of this implementation. The following perspectives should be noted:
25
CFARs will benefit from the construction/rehabilitation of training infrastructures, through construction companies
25
CFARs will be provided with trainings’ material/ equipment through different suppliers
~40
CFARs will be supported, through technical expertise, in the preparation of establishment projects and administrative, accounting, and financial management documents
~40
CFARs will benefit from capacity building in terms of training engineering and pedagogical engineering, and identification of continuing training needs
For further information, please contact:
Jérémie Houemassou jeremie.houemassou@afci.de
34
Stéphane De Mfouangoum stephane.demfouangoum@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
CLIMATE ADAPTED FARMING METHODS: THE AKTC EXPERIENCE ZAMBIA Climate change has clearly negatively impacted the Zambian agricultural sector. Unpredicted rainfall patterns with late onset of rains and shorter and erratic rainfall periods followed by drought have caused considerable yield losses. Even though conservation agriculture (CA) is widely known and appreciated in Zambia, its practice and adoption, especially amongst emergent and larger-scale farmers, is still insignificant.
The Zambian Agricultural Knowledge and Training Centre (AKTC) is one of the projects that has taken up the challenge to demonstrate sustainable mitigating measures through appropriate mechanisation in conservation agriculture performance. The AKTC “Climate Adapted Farming Methods (CAFM)� sub-project was initiated in May 2019 and was officially launched by the Zambian Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Michael Katambo, in October 2019. jph
For the CAFM project, the AKTC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration with a research team from the University of Hohenheim, Germany, to implement on-farm mechanised conservation agriculture trials on 27 hectares of rain-fed demonstration fields. In addition, the AKTC is cooperating with the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL), which provided a state-of-the-art
Automatic Weather Station and soil moisture sensors and scanners. The AKTC is financed under the Bilateral Cooperation Programme of the German Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL) and implemented by AFC and its partners DLG International, DEULA Nienburg, and IAK Agrar Consulting Leipzig since 2014. The AKTC is supported by European private business partners which provide machinery, inputs, and innovative technologies (e.g. photovoltaic system and a satellite-based water-saving technology). The operational partners in Zambia are the Golden Valley Agricultural Research Trust (GART), where AKTC is located, and the National Zambian Farmers Union (ZNFU). The AKTC Zambia has made a big step forward in fulfilling its objective to demonstrate sustainable crop production with the CAFM. Training and demonstration days targeting farmers and other stakeholders were organised to ensure that information on CAFM techniques and its immediate impacts is disseminated nationwide.
Maize yield
Soya beans yield 3,120 ton/ha
7,873 ton/ha
7,802 ton/ha
7,792 ton/ha
Discing
2,997 ton/ha
Ripping
Direct seeding
2,843 ton/ha
Discing
Ripping
Direct seeding
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
One such successful event was the 2019 field day, which was attended not only by farmers but also by high-profile government officials and decision-makers. The National Agricultural Information Service produced a documentary, covering the field day events, which was later broadcasted on national television. The CAFM trials were set to compare the performance difference between mechanised conventional tillage and mechanised CA tillage (direct seeding and ripping) for maize and soya beans. Immediate benefits, such as increased soil water infiltration, reduced water run-off, and soil erosion as well as reduced fuel and labour costs, were already visible just after one growing season. Given these confirmed economic, soil and water, and
The table shows that direct tillage saves up to 48% of operation time and 56% fuel consumed for maize production compared to disc-harrowing. Labour costs for maize and soya beans production (excluding harvesting and post-harvest) are also reduced by 13% and 29%, respectively.
environmental benefits, mechanised conservation agriculture should be the way forward in Zambian agriculture. Thus, the AKTC will continue to promote mechanised CA in its trainings and demonstrations. CA tillage practices recorded relatively better yields for both maize and soya beans compared to the conventional tillage, even though the yields are not significantly different. The initial findings of the CAFM trials were overwhelmingly positive; however, for substantiated results and comparison, trials will be continued and crop yield differences and other measured parameters between the treatments will be monitored in subsequent seasons for further analysis.
Tillage System
Maize
Soya bean
Time
Fuel consumption
Labour
Time
Fuel consumption
Labour
(hr/ha)
(l/ha)
(US $/ha)
(hr/ha)
(l/ha)
(US $/ha)
Disc-harrowing
3.818
28.63
88.90
4.140
30.20
100.8
Ripping
3.348
20.03
91.69
4.132
26.31
89.5
Direct seeding
1.978
12.66
77.18
2.788
19.47
71.2
For further information, please contact:
versity Research team from the Uni sture Moi Soil the at eim of Hohenh trial plots: sensor station at the CAFM Birner, Godfrey Omulo, Prof. Regina er Köll Prof. Karlheinz
36
AKTC maize and soya bean plots in Chisamba
Helmut Anschuetz helmut.anschuetz@afci.de
Tesa Weiss tesa.weiss@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
AFC’s
current presence in MENA 16 Total projects
Total project offices
9
Total project staff
84
PALESTINE MOROCCO TUNISIA 5
5
1
0
6
43 5
3
20
JORDAN jph
3
0
1
EGYPT 1
0
6
SUDAN 1
1
8
Number of projects per country 1
2
3
4
5
GOPA Group offices in: Cairo / Egypt, Amman / Jordan, Rabat / Morocco, Ankara / Turkey Data from 01/2019 to 01/2020
37
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
CECAMA FACING THE PANDEMIC MOROCCO Under normal conditions, the German-Moroccan Center of Excellence for Agricultural Consulting (CECAMA) provides trainings combining theory and practice – both in presence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CECAMA had to adapt quickly to online trainings and developed a new learning concept for the future.
Founded in 2012 and located in Sidi Slimane in northern Morocco, the German-Moroccan Center of Excellence and Agricultural Consulting (CECAMA) organises training and development sessions linking classroom courses and demonstrations in the field or in the barn. The trainings are provided to several actors in the agricultural sector – state and private agricultural advisers, technicians etc.
the savings in transportation and logistics costs enabled CECAMA to invite agricultural advisors working in remote areas. The interest of the participants is high and thus demanded a coordination so that only two advisers per region where allowed to register. The exceptional circumstances have empowered CECAMA to expand its reach nationwide that would not have been possible with traditional means. The center will continue to do so in the future even when restrictions are lifted.
From April to July 2020, CECAMA organised six training sessions on animal and plant production with 157 participants on the online platform Zoom. Since the incentive for interaction of participants is more important in online training sessions than in face-to-face sessions, CECAMA used forums to encourage participants to interact and ask questions. In addition, a video broadcast on silage production was livestreamed from a demonstration farm where three participants were allowed to attend in person. The results of the evaluation of these trainings showed great satisfaction with this type of course (see box below). This shows the importance of providing sufficient space for interaction. However, online trainings cannot replace face-to-face sessions. Nevertheless,
The CECAMA team doing a livestream of maize silage training
Feedback on the training
>90%
expressed that they are satisfied, even very satisfied with the result
38
97%
even asked that this type of training be renewed
For further information, please contact: The only issue on which the results were slightly mixed was the time allocated for discussion where 40% responded very satisfied, 40% satisfied, 17% not very satisfied, and 3% not satisfied.
Klaus Goldnick klaus.goldnick@afci.de
Daniela Boehm daniela.boehm@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
A DEPOSIT INSURANCE FOR A SOUND BANKING SYSTEM PALESTINE In 2014, the Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA) established the Palestine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) in order to safeguard bank depositors, promote a stable and sound banking sector, and contribute to sustainable economic development in Palestine.
Objective: The PDIC principally aims to provide insurance for small deposits (up to US$10,000, covering around 92% of depositors) at PMA-licensed banks operating in Palestine in case of bankruptcy or liquidation of a bank.
Other objectives
Protect the rights of its member depositors in accordance with the ceiling for compensation
jph
Enhance customers’ confidence in the banking system
Contribute to maintaining the banking system’s stability, and raise public awareness of the deposit insurance system
The AFC supports PDIC with the further development of the deposit insurance system towards a well-functioning, efficient, effective and sustainable structure, particularly establishing the adequate risk management, stress-testing and risk-based premium systems, introducing IT based payout system as well as consulting on Palestinian deposit insurance legal environment, improvement of legislation, and regulation. Deposit insurance applies not just at all for the matured banking sectors with well developed economies. Specifically, the Core Principles and Research Council Committee under the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) agreed to enhance Fintech research related to deposit insurance and to establish a Technical Committee and/or working groups to address such issues. The Core Principles for Effective Islamic Deposit Insurance Systems are under consideration. The IADI, as well as PDIC, are also looking on Deposit Insurance and Financial Inclusion.
For further information, please contact:
Bank sign on glass wall Palestinian flag
Sigitas Bubnys sigitas.bubnys@afci.de
39
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
AFC’s
current presence in Asia/CIS 22 Total projects
18 Total project offices
182 Total project staff
KAZAKHSTAN MONGOLIA
GEORGIA
2
1
4 2
1
0
1
5
9
CHINA
KYRGYZSTAN ARMENIA 1
0
3
2
1
29
2
1
16
LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC 3
INDIA 1
5
22
THAILAND
40
2
MYANMAR BANGLADESH 4
2
3
30
2
1
1
5
8
TIMOR-LESTE 1
1
21
Number of projects per country 1
2
3
4
GOPA Group offices in: Kabul-Kart-e-Now / Afganistan, Beijing / China, Bishkek / Kyrgyzstan, Dushanbe / Tajikistan Data from 01/2019 to 01/2020
40
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
MECHANISATION OF TOMATO CULTIVATION INDIA The GIZ Green Innovation Center (GIC) for the Agriculture and Food Sector in India is assisting tomato farmers in the Narayangaon area of Pune District in Maharashtra. Most farmers are faced with problems on availability of labour during land preparation and transplanting of tomatoes. An in-depth analysis revealed that the most labour-intensive farm operation at this early production stage is the actual transplanting of the tomato seedlings.
Currently, the degree of modernisation and mechanisation in Indian agriculture is low; therefore, agricultural enterprises increasingly compete with other sectors for labour. Specifically, tomato production should be mechanised to increase farm productivity, reduce labour costs, and to keep farming activities attractive for the younger generation.
advantages of mechanisation of manual labour for this particular production step.
The GIC project had already introduced bed-making, drip irrigation, and plastic mulching to tomato farmers to save water and labour for weeding. The current challenge is to transplant tomato seedlings through the already prepared plastic mulch without damaging the existing irrigation drip line underneath.
Problems revealed:
In a next test, the transplanter was used for transplanting on a seedbed made with a tractor-drawn bed-maker and hand-laid mulch. This test revealed a number of problems, such as:
jph
The project identified an existing transplanter as the most feasible equipment. The GIC purchased and imported a used one for testing purposes. An initial test of the transplanter on a level field without mulch applied resulted in very regular planting with only 2% mortality a week after transplanting. Compared to manual transplanting, a 15% mortality rate during the same time span was noted. Thus, this initial result clearly demonstrated the
out mulch
with First test with transplanter
Second test with transplanter with hand-laid mulch
The mulch loosened because it was cut by the transplanter
The dropped seedlings were skewed
The seedling roots were not properly embedded in the soil
Torn mulch and skewed seedling not properly transplanted
41
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
Big soil clods were found and the irregular size and shape of the seedbed created air bubbles between the bed and the plastic mulch. At these spots, the mulch tended to be caught by the transplanter and the seedlings were not properly transplanted. A reverse rotating rotavator (rotation of the knives against the direction of the forward movement of the tractor) with a bedmaking attachment was developed to address the issue. While this fix resulted to a much smoother seedbed, it was still unable solve the problem. The mulch was still torn and seedlings were skewed and improperly embedded in the soil. This problem could be addressed by using a modified bedmaker that can create a seedbed with slightly slanting sides and with its highest point in the middle. The construction and test of the modified bed-maker was however halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Indian Government imposed a severe lockdown. Subsequently, the equipment manufacturer closed and workers returned to their home villages, leaving the equipment manufacturer without staff for the time being.
In trying to solve one problem, news issues emerge
These new issues need to be tackled systematically and one by one
Sufficient time is required between initial tests and the onset of the actual planting season to allow time to address issues discovered during the tests Appropriate land preparation is crucial in crop production. This is more so when advanced, mechanised production systems are to be employed
Farmers, on the other hand, still tend to rush with land preparation
Staff with farming background and technical insight can easily learn how to adjust the planter and have been able to overcome some of the issues with skewed and improperly embedded seedlings
The following lessons can be learned from this experience:
What’s next? The following are being planned for further trials in the upcoming seasons: For further information, please contact:
Use of mulch with readymade holes for the seedlings to be transplanted exactly in those holes
42
Increase tractor speed and still maintain proper transplanting
Test the system also for other crops, so that the purchase economics and use of the equipment will improve
Mans Lanting mans.lanting@afci.de
Johannes Geisen johannes.geisen@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
NEW FOCUS ON AGRICULTURAL POLICY KAZAKHSTAN AFC has been successfully implementing the German-Kazakh Agricultural Political Dialogue (APD) since January 2020. The project aims to contribute to the development of a productive and sustainable agriculture with a special emphasis on Organic Agriculture and Agricultural Finance.
Approach
The project is demanddriven, provides information, and facilitates networks for questions from the Kazakh public sector. For instance, APD presented the German state support for innovations in agriculture and how this is done
Project topics
Organic agriculture as a growing sector with a high potential for export and room for improvement in terms of sector structure, policy support, and capacity building
Agricultural Finance such as the support for a strategy for the further development of credit unions and the support for the formulation of the next state agricultural support programme particularly the subsidy mechanisms
jph
In Kazakhstan, 80% of the country is agricultural land – but out of this area, only 13% are usable for arable farming. The government strives to support a diversified agriculture and to increase exports by offering subsidy programmes and APD’s task is to strengthen these efforts. The APD brings together the political stakeholder and people from the agricultural sector from Kazakhstan, Germany, and
gation Meeting of the Kazakh dele 2020 ach Biof at t por with APD sup in Nuremberg
other European countries for a technical exchange of ideas and experience. Usually, this professional dialogue is implemented via regular meetings of working groups, organisation of events, participation at fairs, and implementation of physical trainings. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project shifted its activities and working procedures swiftly to digital formats. Webinars, Zoom
Original grain of khorasan in organic quality, intended for export
Horses in Kazakh mountains
43
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
Development of Subsidy-Programmes of the State Programmes (Bln KZT)
conferences, and virtual study tours now belong to the portfolio and already feel quite normal.
2013
AFC implements the APD on behalf of the German Ministry of Agriculture and Food with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan as its political partner and the National Agricultural Research and Education Centre (NANOZ) as operational partner.
2014 2015
Activities planned for the coming months are further comprised of webinars on organic agriculture as well as activities regarding the analysis of the effect of political measures in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, among others, to ensure national food security.
2016
Legend
2017 2018
Animal breeding and increase of effectivity
Interest subsidies for restructurisation of farms
Inverstment subsidies
Increase of harvest yield
Fertilizers
Seeds
Plant protection
Other subsidies
Interest subsidies general
0
50
100
150
200
250
“APD successfully consults us in all recent questions of principles and regulations of organic farming – also with regard to one of our most important goals, the preparations required to increase our export.”
For further information, please contact:
Arsen Kerimbekov Head of the association Qazaqstan Organic APD accompanied Qazaqstan Organic during the worldleading fair on organic agriculture BIOFACH in February 2020. Stefanie Maak stefanie.maak@afic.de
44
Alexander Barnewitz alexander.barnewitz@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
VALUE CHAINS AND THEIR IMPAC T ON SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT KYRGYZSTAN AFC supports the agricultural sector, through the Promotion of Sustainable Economic Development project, to increase income and generate employment, especially for women and youth in the Jalal-Abad Region.
Two areas with different value chains were selected: The project organised farmers in producer groups that received seeds of the same vegetable variety on a credit basis. Aksy (valley in the mountains at around 1,500 m altitude), the plum value chain.
jph
Burgondu (low-lying area with hot sub-tropical climate) vegetable value chains, mainly tomato and sweet pepper production
In burgondu, a vegetable production cluster was selected where the farming population had already good experience in growing tomatoes and sweet pepper. Thus, the investment costs in introducing new crops could be avoided. Higher yields were relatively easy to trigger via a good agricultural advisory system that combined advice with input supply and marketing at higher prices.
s
Local worker is weighing plum
This resulted in large enough quantities of vegetables of the same variety and quality to facilitate marketing. Through the crop monitoring system, the yields could be more than doubled already in the first project year. In addition, through a logistical centre, most farmers received higher prices for parts of their vegetables. The meanwhile established cooperative runs the logistical centre and was able to increase the quantities marketed to exporters year by year. Key factor of success was that people with sufficient entrepreneurial skills and knowledge about agricultural production established the cooperative. This made the cooperative a learning organisation that does not any more depend on skills and advice of the project. When considering the plums, despite its importance for the income of the local population, the orchards are managed according to traditional production methods with relatively low yields and smallsized fruits.
Locally packaged tomatoes are loaded into trucks
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
After three years of activities, the following “value for money” rates were projected with an assumed impact period of 15 years:
Vegetables
Plums
1 Euro
1 Euro
of project investment costs generated around
of project investment costs generated around
40 Euro
4 Euro
of income at target group level (value for money) and an internal rate of return of around 400%. The income of 250 farmers could be more than doubled.
of income and an internal rate of return of 20%. The income of about 800 farmers can be increased by about 15%.
The part of the production that could not be sold fresh was dried through local driers and then sold for relatively low prices. The project was able to identify the higher priced organic market in Europe for dried plums and initiated organic production methods. In comparison to the vegetable value chains, the investment costs in the plum value chain are considerably higher and more time-consuming to transition to organic production, establish respective market connections, upgrade the organisational level of the farming population, train key persons in entrepreneurial skills, and help establishing the required processing units. Income effects of the target group are at present only based on higher prices because yield increase and quality improvement of a perennial crop cannot be achieved short-term. Therefore, the income impact is modest compared to vegetables, but promises to reach more people.
The project “Promotion of Sustainable Economic Development in Kyrgyzstan” is a countrywide project of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ) and is co-funded by the Swiss Development Agency (SDC). The Swiss fund most of the project activities of the project in the Jalal-Abad Region, which are implemented by AFC on behalf of GIZ.
For further information, please contact:
Johannes Buschmeier joahnnes.buschmeier@afci.de
46
Hartwig Ungethuem hartwig.ungethuem@afci.de
Torsten Swoboda torsten.swoboda@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
CLIMATE FRIENDLY AGRIBUSINESS VALUE CHAINS SEC TOR PROJEC T LAOS In January 2020, AFC was selected to establish a Financial Management Entity (FME) for the Climate Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector project which aims to improve the livelihoods of farmers by promoting environmental sustainability and increasing the profitability for farmers and agribusinesses in five provinces in Laos. The key responsibility of the FME is to administer a Matching Grant Scheme and a Smallholder Financing Scheme.
The Matching Grant Scheme with a budget of
USD 7.48 million targets:
Lao Access to Finance Fund (LAFF)
AFC is proud to announce that our KfW project to support the Bank of the Lao PDR (BoL) and the LAFF has been extended by three more years, and thus will run until August 2023. www.laff.org.la
jph
small- to medium-sized rice mills, pack houses for vegetable collection, marketing clusters, and bio-fertilizer production factories
with the purpose of upgrading or constructing with climate friendly technologies.
Producing bio fertilizer
The Smallholder Financing Scheme will support Agricultural Production Groups (APG) in establishing self-managed Revolving Loans Funds for members. In both cases, technical support in climate friendly agriculture, Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Agricultural Practises standards and best practices will be promoted and incorporated. Another component managed by AFC focuses on Green
Rice in a mill in Savannakhet province
Rice mill in Savannakhet province
47
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
Financing and will involve working with a group of leading financial institutions in the country in developing green finance products based on international best practices. The COVID-19 crisis proved to be a challenge since the project contract was signed and for everyone involved but the AFC team has been ahead of the curve. During the inception period, the AFC team laid the groundwork for launching of the Matching Grant Scheme and the Smallholder Financing Scheme which involved detailed preparations, visits to potential project sites (with necessary health and safety measures), and developing promotional materials, policies and guidelines, and templates for documentations and the inception report. The quick improvement of the COVID-19 situation in Laos enabled the team members to conduct several training programmes for APGs as part of their preparations. The topics included fund management, business planning, and group activity management and will be extended based on the changing needs and demand of the APGs. The 10-day inception meeting was conducted over online platforms, a new concept for most participating individuals and agencies. The efforts and results of the AFC-FME team were praised by the online mission.
The Climate Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project is a project in Laos funded by the Asian Development Bank and implemented by the Department of Technical Extension and Agro-Processing and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). AFC’s local partner is Enterprise and Development Consultants (EDC) Laos. This project is yet another feather on the cap of AFC, which has an excellent track record as a Technical Assistance provider well known for timely delivery of project inputs with utmost professionalism, not just in Lao but in many other countries.
Rice farming in Salavan province
For further information, please contact:
World Bank Project In October 2020, AFC concluded its successful cooperation with the Department of SME Promotion to assist partner financial institutions in developing a fully-fledged SME banking business strategy. Jakob Lutz jakob.lutz@afci.de
48
Indrajith Wijesiriwardana wijesiriwardana.Indrajith@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
GERMAN-THAI COOPERATION PROJEC T TO PROMOTE CLUSTER FARMS THAILAND AFC and DLG International implemented the German-Thai Cooperation Project to Promote the Sustainable Development of Cluster Farms in Thailand in September 2020. The agricultural sector plays an important role in Thailand’s economy where the 2013 agricultural census reported that about one-third of Thailand’s population is still employed in the sector. Agricultural products amounted to more than 18% of Thailand’s exports revenue in 2017. However, it is estimated that profit margins generated on approximately two-thirds of the agricultural land are insufficient due to low production efficiency. As a result, the farms are often highly indebted.
In its 20-year strategic development plan (2017–2036), the Thai government aims to promote modern forms of agricultural production and to increase the farm’s income and productivity. The ‘Smart Farming’ or ‘Agriculture 4.0’ concept has been designed to improve the cost-effectiveness and productivity of farms by equipping them with modern technologies. However, accessing these technologies requires increased investments, while the costs-benefit ratio is disadvantageous for small farms. jph
To address this, the Thai government supports the establishment of ‘Cluster Farms’ to encourage farms to engage in joint management and investment in order to enlarge the farm size, and modernise production methods, thus increasing productivity, reducing production costs, meeting quality standards and securing markets. By mid-2019 almost 5,600 cluster farms with approx. 345,000 individual farms had been established. Nevertheless, most of
le Irrigation system at a vegetab ni province cluster farm in Pathum Tha
the cooperation arrangements remain limited to purchasing supplies. Hardly any form of joint cultivation is realised and few farms take advantage of the investment loans available at 0.01% interest per annum. To improve the situation, the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) and the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture have embarked on a project which aims to further develop the Thai agricultural sector in a sustainable and marketoriented way.
In September 2020, AFC and DLG International have started the implementation of the German-Thai Cooperation Project to Promote the Sustainable Development of Cluster Farms in Thailand.
Manual weeding and selection of healthy seedling
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
Cluster farms in selected districts will be enabled to enhance their performance and operate as resource-efficient, entrepreneurial enterprises. Moreover, the existing extension approach of the Department of Agricultural Extension on both, the decentralised and the central level, will be reviewed, and recommendations for improvement will be developed and tested on a pilot scale.
The situation is addressed by working on the micro level with selected cluster farms, on the meso-level with the district offices of the Department of Agricultural Extension and with the local Agricultural Learning Centers, and on the macro-level with the national offices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Department of Agricultural Extension.
Main areas of engagement
Design, testing and implementation of development concepts on modern management methods and sustainable agricultural practices for pilot cluster farms
Elaboration of modern agriculture extension concepts and methods for state agencies at decentralised levels to test and apply in their extension for local cluster farm development
Communication of results to key actors on the national level and strengthening the capacities of the responsible state institutions and stakeholders to effectively steer the development of the nation-wide agricultural extension system for cluster farms
For further information, please contact:
tion in Sam Outdoor lettuce produc ni province Tha hum Pat t, tric Khok dis
50
Johannes Geisen johannes.geisen@afci.de
Karsten Ziebell karsten.ziebell@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
TRAININGS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BCI STANDARD SYSTEM COT TON PRODUC TION UZBEKISTAN Uzbekistan is the sixth-largest cotton producer in the world. Cotton is of key importance for national economic and social development. The sector has been highly regulated, but the Government is taking major steps towards substantial reform. In support of these reforms, the Sustainability and Value Added in the Cotton Economy programme focuses on the promotion of sustainable cotton production and on fostering entrepreneurship amongst the downstream segments of the textile ‘pipeline’ beyond ginning, and to develop and strengthen domestic capacities for processing sustainable cotton.
In this context, AFC is supporting the implementation of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) Standard System in Uzbek cotton production through training and coaching. Activities include the adaptation of BCI training modules and material in order to adjust these to the crop production cycles in the country and the current developments in the Uzbek cotton sector. A training plan has been developed, covering at least the provinces of Navoi, Jizzak, and Samarkand. Stakeholders trained include cluster management structures, ginnery owners and managers, farmers and farm managers, agronomists and technical specialists specialised in cotton production, state officials, and representatives of civil society organisations and farmer unions. jph
Training modules focus on IPM (Integrated Pest Management), water management, soil management, biodiversity protection, fibre quality, decent work conditions, and management issues. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on-site assessments and trainings have been postponed. Instead, training courses are
made available to participants through electronic platforms. Specifically, MS Teams and Telegram channels have been established to push training content to stakeholders, and to provide an exchange platform in the form of chat groups, which aims to provide ad hoc technical assistance and advisory services.
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) is implementing the global programme ‘Sustainability and Value Added in the Cotton Economy’ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). This programme is part of BMZ’s special initiative “ONE-WORLD – No Hunger” (SEWOH). The programme aims to foster sustainability along the entire supply chain in close cooperation with the lead firms of the cotton-based textile and garment value chain. It covers four partner countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, India, and Uzbekistan.
For further information, please contact:
View of Buchara
Farm visit with local cotton producers
Joachim Lenz joachim.lenz@afci.de
Johannes Geisen johannes.geisen@afci.de
51
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
SUPPORT TO CONCEPTUALISING AN AGRO-LOGISTIC CENTRE IN NAMANGAN UZBEKISTAN In June 2020, AFC won the GIZ contract for conceptualising an Agro-Logistic Centre (ALC), which is set-up and run by a cooperative in Namangan, Uzbekistan. This is one of two projects that AFC won in 2020 in this country.
The ALC shall contribute to an upgrading of specific agricultural value chains, thus generating a higher value across different steps of the value chains than those achieved without the centre.
The cooperative is planning to establish a modern ALC to facilitate the export of fresh fruits and vegetables from the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan
>135
800 ha
6,500 T
Members
Agricultural land
Agricultural products
are local farmers, producers, and processing companies
managed by the members
processed by the members in 2019
The ALC will provide services such as logistics, storage, sorting, processing, and packaging for further marketing in the domestic and international markets. Quality assurance services such as laboratory analysis, food-safety certification, and efficient customs clearance should be offered to the members as well. The introduction of an e-trading platform within the ALC is another envisaged tool to connect the cooperative ALC with other leading international trading platforms.
It is the intention of the techno-economic feasibility study to technically define such a marketplace according to local requirements and to demonstrate the long-term economic feasibility trough a bankable business plan.
The preparation of the concept and the business plan has been entrusted to a team of AFC experts, closely cooperating with competent staff of GIZ in Uzbekistan and local stakeholders.
For further information, please contact:
National specialties, nuts and market sweets presented in a small hall in Tashkent
52
Grains, spices and herbs are offered for sale at a small market stall in Tashkent
Ulrich März ulrich.marz@afci.de
Nina Thurn ninakristin.thurn@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
AFC’s
current presence in Europe 9
Total projects
Total project offices
5
103 Total project staff
LITHUANIA
1
0
6
UKRAINE 7
AFC HQ
4
57
jph
MOLDOVA 1
1
40
Number of projects per country 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
GOPA Group offices in: Brussels / Belgium, Bonn / Weilheim / Bad Homburg / Germany, Luxembourg, Bucharest / Romania, Alicante / Spain
Data from 01/2019 to 01/2020
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
DEVELOPING THE INTERNAL CAPACIT Y OF THE OSCHADBANK FOR LENDING TO MSMEs UKRAINE Public Joint-Stock Company “State Savings Bank of Ukraine”, or Oschadbank, has the largest network of branch offices across the country in addition to being the only state-owned universal bank in Ukraine. Oschadbank has stepped into the wall-breaking process of reorganisation aiming to become the market leader in MSME lending through AFC’s support, which is part of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s “Reform of state-owned banks strategy” programme.
this very important first step, the team identified the gaps in the existing range of the bank’s products and services as well as in the related operational processes. Since July 2019, AFC, in strong cooperation with the SME Banking Club from Ukraine, is assisting Oschadbank to develop the necessary internal capacity and processes for the provision of lending services to eligible MSMEs
AFC’s team of local and international experts is closely working with the bank’s sections such as the MSME, security and anti-fraud, retail banking, technology team, and regional branch offices, as well as being in direct contact with the top management and board of directors. Initially, the AFC team was able to successfully develop the new strategy for MSME lending, including a refreshed MSME market segmentation aimed to identify the priority for the bank segments and assess their market potential. As part of
This strategy allowed the experts to develop an optimised and more profitable product portfolio concept, marketing and cross-selling strategies, including risk-based pricing, a simplified and more efficient credit scoring system, new service functional model for MSME lending, an optimised electronic loan documents processing and storage, business process automation, as well as improved soft collection and anti-fraud concept. Most importantly, the AFC team has proposed an optimised organisational structure that brings the regional competence centres to a new level, while making the lending process less bureaucratic and more time-saving. AFC team has also provided support in the implementation of the MSME service functional model and business credit card product.
For further information, please contact:
ent of Facade of regional departm Bank ings Sav e Stat a k, Oschadban i of Ukraine, in Khmelnytsky
54
Flag of Ukraine
Victor Gorbachov victor.gorbachov@afci.de
Vladislav Nimerenco vladislav.nimerenco@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
SUPPORTING SOCIAL AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING LITHUANIA AFC has been retained by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) to conduct a Feasibility Study for the Social and Affordable Housing Programme in Lithuania. In this framework, AFC will prepare the following:
1
Study on the housing sector
2
Overview of the existing social housing policy measures
3
Long-term housing strategy
4
Optional social and affordable housing schemes
5
Proposed housing programme and pilot project
jph
On the one hand, the Lithuanian government’s goal, and as expressed by the Ministry of Finance, is the development of a housing strategy that will give direction to the currently isolated and insufficiently evaluated and coordinated housing programmes. A key reason for this is the institutional gaps in housing policy formulation, which will also be addressed by AFC.
On the other hand, the CEB’s goal is to define an investable social housing project inside CEB’s social housing investment criteria, which is the ‘social housing for low-income persons’. The range of these investments is not limited to direct renovation, construction or refurbishment activities, but also can include indirect investments to improve the efficiency of using the housing stock. A primary goal resulting from CEB’s objectives as chief debt investors is the identification of the Lithuanian debt co-financing and equity investor capacity for each potential programme. Therefore, the feasibility study will provide a baseline study including an empirical overview over the social and affordable housing needs as well as the capacities of public (central and local governments) and private stakeholders (debt and equity investors, implementers) and effectiveness of current policies in addressing these needs. Moreover, AFC will also provide recommendations, a long-term housing strategy as input to Lithuania’s general public sector development strategy, identify proposals for new or modification of existing housing schemes in the new strategy that are at the same time investible by the CEB, and describe a single proposed housing scheme in greater detail, including a pilot programme.
Particular concerns of both central and local governments, met during the inception mission, are:
Reaching target groups in sufficient scale
Avoiding segregation and stigmatisation through concentration of social housing solutions
Improving the cost efficiency of programmes
Enhancing the room for maneuver particularly for local governments regarding both equity and debt co-financing investments
For further information, please contact:
Sigitas Bubnys sigitas.bubnys@afci.de
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HORTICULTURE FINANCING CONTINUES DESPITE COVID-19 MOLDOVA The world stood still because of the COVID-19 pandemic which is also considered one of the biggest challenges since World War II. Interestingly, the sale of tech products increased but the market for horticulture, particularly the international fruit trade, decreased. How will this situation impact farmers’ long-term investment decisions?
Since 2018, AFC has been supporting the “Fruit Garden of Moldova”, a loan operation worth EUR 120 million to the Government of Moldova. The TA team has created a platform of Business Development Service (BDS) companies to support SMEs in identifying investment projects, as well as their preparation and financing. The BDS companies have been selected by the project in a transparent screening process, which evaluated the competency of their staff. The project is offering regular trainings to their staff to guarantee the delivery of high quality services. BDS companies compete with each other and usually have contracts with their clients with the aim to provide holistic and long-term services which makes them sustainable partners to SME development especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Liviu Burcovschi, a 55-year old farmer from the north of Moldova, is one of those who decided to invest into his family farm – even after the country went into lockdown. Eleven years ago, Liviu planted his first apple orchard on land inherited from his parents in his native village of Sauca. He was a fruit trader until 2016, but then decided to officially register a peasant farm to turn a side-activity
Loans are extended via seven commercial banks to farms and enterprises from the Moldovan horticulture sector in order to support the modernisation process throughout the entire value chain.
into a real family business specialised in growing tree fruits. Now the peasant farm in Ocnita District has 9.7 ha of apple and 1.9 ha of cherry orchards. A year ago, Liviu moved back from Chisinau with his family to his native village. Supported by a BDS company, Liviu compiled an investment project worth about EUR 36,000 to mechanise some work in the orchard to increase labour productivity and financed half of the project from his own resources. For the other half, the BDS partner guided him to one of the partner banks of “Fruit Garden of Moldova” to apply for an EIB-financed loan that comes with preferential terms. The EIB approved Liviu’s project in April 2020, just in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. This investment has helped to create the two first permanent jobs for field operations, and until now only 15 seasonal workers are employed during harvest. Liviu’s story is not an isolated case. During the COVID-induced state of emergency in Moldova from mid-March to mid-May, with the support of the BDS companies, 21 farmers and small entrepreneurs applied for loans from the EIB “Fruit Garden of Moldova” credit line, which is 40% more than during the same period in 2019.
For further information, please contact:
The target group of the operation is made up of small and medium enterprises and loan sizes are between
EUR 5,000 and EUR 1 million
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Christoph Arndt christoph.arndt@afci.de
Sophia Baumert Sophia.baumert@afci.de
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
AFC’s
current presence in Latin America 3
Total projects
Total project offices
2
16
Total project staff
COLOMBIA 2
1
13
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PARAGUAY 1
1
3
Number of projects per country 1
2 Data from 01/2019 to 01/2020
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
ACCESS TO GREEN FINANCE FOR THE AGRICULTURAL SEC TOR OF COLOMBIA COLOMBIA Colombia is listed as one of the world’s megadiverse countries as it hosts almost 10% of the planet’s biodiversity, while 53% of its mainland is still covered with natural forests. Main threats to the conservation of biodiversity include, among others, increasing social inequality, internal armed conflict for more than five decades, and implementation of extensive livestock and agricultural models. At the same time, 40% of Colombia’s green gas emissions as well as a large share of deforestation come from agricultural and livestock production.
The green transformation of the agricultural sector requires capital and know-how. Today, 70% of rural producers do not have access to formal credit facilities. Increasing access to green finance and investment capital is thus needed to facilitate sustainable investments in new technologies and production methods. The banking sector of Colombia, headed by the Banker’s Association of Colombia (Asobancaria) signed a green protocol in 2017. A business case needs to be defined to motivate banks to enter the field of green agricultural finance. To do so, the AmPaz project started with quantitative and qualitative market research, which showed that 5% to 10% of smallholders have a demand for green finance. On the individual farm level, the green business model was determined through a cooperation with University of Wageningen (Netherland). The simulation model showed a positive correlation between increasing reliance on “ecosystem services” and “profitability” of smallholders.
Correspondingly, GOPA/AFC assessed the Colombian banking sector to identify the most suitable partner financial institutions (PFI) for the project and 5 finance institutions were shortlisted. Finally, cooperation agreements were signed with three PFIs namely, Banco Agrario de Colombia, Banco Mundo Mujer, and CAC Utrahuilca. Based on customised technical assistance plans, the activities supporting each PFI included amongst others a taxonomy definition, market research, funding, product development, training, and pilot testing of green loans. All three PFIs decided to apply a wide approach to green finance. Credit destinations were set on the basis of their impact to “climate change mitigation”, “adaption to climate change” and “biodiversity and environmental protection”. This resulted in the definition of 15 credit destinations, covering nearly all agricultural sectors and production methods.
The three strategies of the Green Protocol:
Developing a portfolio of green products and services
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Increasing internal eco-efficiency
Implementing an Environmental and Social (E&S) Risk Management System
Rural producers proudly display their training certificates
AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
Green Agriculture Credit Destinations
1
Agroforestry systems
6
Irrigation and drainage systems
11
Organic or green-grade pesticides
2
Silvopastoral systems
7
Water storage and collection
12
Organic fertilizers
3
Commercial forest plantations
8
Management of discharge and reuse of water
13
Renewable Energy
4
Non-timber forest products
9
Sustainable / conservation tillage
14
Environmental Certifications
5
Preservation and / or restoration of water rounds
10
Energy efficiency
15
Businesses with current environmental certifications
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For Banco Mundo Mujer, GOPA/AFC also implemented a fullyfledged Environmental and Social Risk Management System (E&S) which fundamentally aimed to increase the awareness of its loan recipients about the importance of considering environmental and social aspects in their business, as well as to seek the gradual adoption of measures that allow them to properly manage environmental and social impacts. Likewise, the E&S risks exposure – and here especially reputational as well
as financial or loan loss risks - of the bank is managed effectively. The project also contributed to increase technical and managerial skills of rural producers in financial literacy, as well as environmental and farming issues together with Asobancaria and its partner, Sparkassenstiftung. GOPA/AFC trained and certified 40 trainers from local producer associations and trained more than 500 smallholder producers in the post-conflict regions of Meta and Caqueta.
The correlation between profitability and ecosystem services
Housing Intensive grassland Extensive grassland Maize Wheat Woodland
For further information, please contact:
Jan Ennenbach jan.ennenbach@gopa.de
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Roxane Van Lerberge roxane.vanlerberge@afci.de
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
NEW STAFF
Daniela Böhm joined the AFC francophone Africa team as Project Manager in January 2020. Ms. Boehm holds a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Giessen. She rejoins the GOPA Group as having worked from 2011 to 2016 at its Rural Development and Environment Department. In 2017, Ms. Boehm worked with DLG and coordinated the potato working group of the Green Innovation Centres. In 2018, she joined the editorial team of “Rural 21 – the International Journal for Rural Development” at DLG-Verlag and from mid-2018 until December 2019, she was appointed as editor-in-chief. Ms. Boehm speaks German, English, and French.
Diana Trendafilova joined AFC in January 2020. She holds a Master’s degree in Banks and International Markets from the University Paris- Est Creteil and has also completed an international finance exchange programme at Ghent University. Ms. Trendafilova has more than 3 years of various international work experience with a strong focus on Project Management & Data Analysis. After her graduating, she interned at Deutsche Telekom and its subsidiary BuyIn as a Business Analyst where she gained practical knowledge on data visualisation & presentation with emphasis on clarity and simplicity, which enabled her to make a comprehensive analysis to drive business decisions.
Eric Schroeder joined
AFC as Finance and Contract Manager in September 2020. He holds a Master´s degree in Crop Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Bonn. He has previously worked as a student assistant at AFC since August 2019. He grew up on a farm in Luxembourg and in 2013 came to Bonn to study. In addition to his mother tongue Luxembourgish, he speaks German, English, and French.
Medina Hromadzic
comes from Bosnia and Herzegovina and joined AFC’s Accounting Department in July 2019. She gained significant experience as an accountant by working for 5 years Miss.Net Ltd Bihac and for a year in the city administration, Bihac, Citizen Services. Ms. Hromadzic, aside from being a loving mother to a son, is also a nature lover and likes walking or biking with her family. She also speaks German and English in addition to her mother tongue, Bosnian.
Nadia Ablek joined the AFC team in September 2019. Currently, she is on a 2.5-year training programme as an Administrative Assistant specialising in Public Relations/Marketing. During her training, she is supporting the francophone assistants team and performs various tasks for the Visibility/ PR department. Ms. Ablek grew up in Italy and Morocco and has been living in Germany since 2016. She fluently speaks Italian, Berber, Arabic, French, English, and has a basic knowledge of Turkish.
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
Nina Thurn joined AFC in August 2019 simultaneously as Project Manager in the agricultural department and as management assistant. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in agricultural sciences with focus on Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, and Rural Development from the GeorgAugust-University of Göttingen. She has both theoretical and practical background in agriculture, which she gained from several internships in Namibia, the United States, and Germany, among others. Prior to starting her new position at AFC headquarters in Bonn, Ms. Thurn worked for AFC as a junior short-term expert in China for the Agrotechnology Demonstration Park (DCALDP) project. She speaks German, English, and French.
Pascale Tchamdjou Kati joined AFC in March 2020 as a financial and contracts manager.
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Her studies focused on Finance, Management Control and, Logistics. Thus, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the private university Montplaisir in Tunisia and a second Bachelor’s degree in Controlling from Georg Simon University in Nuremberg, Germany. After university, she interned and worked for a year at Robert Bosch in Bamberg in its logistics department. In 2019, she joined Hormosan Pharma’s finance department on a work-study basis, where she worked for one year. French is her mother tongue and she is also fluent in German and English.
Teresa Pace joined AFC’s Financial Sector Development in January 2020 to focus on agricultural finance. She previously worked for the IFC in Cote d’Ivoire and coordinated agribusiness projects in the cocoa, cotton, and shea nut value chains. She also coordinated a World Bank pilot project in Cote d’Ivoire that aimed to connect rice smallholder farmers with an off-taker and a microfinance institution for input financing. She was an ODI Fellow with the Financial Inclusion Secretariat at the Central Bank of Nigeria. Ms. Pace holds a Master’s degree in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. She is fluent in German, English, French, and Spanish.
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
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AFC WORLDWIDE 2021
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