AGRIPRENEURS EMPOWERED WITH KEY FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE

AGRIPRENEURS EMPOWERED WITH KEY FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE

As part of its Fit for Market + programme, COLEAD hosted a high-impact webinar to help break down financial barriers for agripreneurs who are based in francophone sub-Saharan Africa. Held on 17 April, the event, entitled “Démystifier l’accès au financement pour vos projets agricoles et horticoles”, focused on clarifying the complexities surrounding financial opportunities for agripreneurs.

The 90-minute session attracted over 120 participants from more than 20 countries, demonstrating a strong regional interest in overcoming financial barriers in agriculture. The webinar was divided into a 60-minute presentation and a 30-minute interactive Q&A session, during which participants engaged with experts on practical and strategic aspects of agricultural finance.

Webinar Highlights

• Clarifying financial concepts: the session began by demystifying what access to finance means for agricultural projects, emphasising realistic expectations.
• Financing readiness: experts discussed how entrepreneurs can assess their business’ readiness for external funding.
• Sources of finance: the webinar covered common sources of finance, including loans, grants and equity, and their basic eligibility requirements.
• Application Strategies: provided guidance on navigating the application process for different funding options.
• Overcoming Challenges: the session addressed typical obstacles agripreneurs face during the funding application process and strategies for overcoming them.
• Success stories: several case studies were presented, highlighting agribusinesses that have successfully secured growth capital.

The high level of registration (300 people registering to access the webinar recording and additional resources), underlines the critical need for knowledge in agribusiness finance. The resources provided include presentation slides, which serve as a valuable tool for those unable to attend the live event. Through the following links, you can access the webinar recording and supporting materials (including the presentation slides – In French)

Looking ahead

Encouraged by the success and the clear need for further support, COLEAD will organise more webinars and training sessions focused on financial readiness. These sessions aim to equip agripreneurs with the necessary skills to develop bankable proposals and effectively position themselves to secure growth capital. In addition, COLEAD invites participants to register for an upcoming webinar on 18 June, which will explore different platforms that aggregate funding opportunities – a session not to be missed by stakeholders looking to improve their financial navigation skills.

While COLEAD does not fund businesses directly, it plays a crucial role in facilitating access to third party investment through its Fit for Market+ programme. This initiative provides tailored advice to horticultural businesses and associations to help them meet specific financial needs and project milestones.

Impact on agricultural development

By improving access to finance and understanding, COLEAD aims through its programmes to catalyse entrepreneurship and investment in agriculture. These efforts are critical to increasing agricultural productivity, food security and economic opportunities across sub-Saharan Africa, and fostering a sustainable and prosperous agricultural landscape.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.