Making Investment in Rural Communities and Smallholder Farmers Mainstream

Access to finance for smallholder farmers and the businesses who engage them in rural communities remains a key challenge in creating well-functioning and sustainable agricultural markets. High perceived and real risks exacerbated by the growing frequency and severity of climate shocks mean that many investors have kept their distance. With decreasing development aid, there is a need to develop innovative solutions to mobilise capital into smallholder agricultural markets. In this interactive workshop, participants will be engaged to explore different investment approaches to driving impact and catalysing capital: namely, blended finance funds and systemic investment vehicles