Subsidized Impact Investing Funds: AgDevCo

AgDevCo utilizes concessional capital and technical assistance to develop commercially viable agri-businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa, exemplified by the establishment of Zambia's first commercial seed potato producer, Saise Farming Enterprises Ltd. The organization leverages a mix of private and DFI funding to de-risk investments and build climate-resilient agricultural value chains.

• AgDevCo operates as a subsidized impact investor providing long-term capital and technical assistance ranging from USD 2 million to 10 million to support small and medium agri-businesses that improve climate resilience and food security for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• In Zambia, AgDevCo established Saise Farming Enterprises Ltd (SFEL) in 2016, the country's first commercial seed potato producer, reducing reliance on South African imports. This was part of a broader strategy in Northern Zambia involving a USD 14 million injection that catalyzed USD 23 million in third-party investments for irrigation, power, and cold storage to mitigate drought and disease risks.
• AgDevCo's funding structure relies heavily on the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which has disbursed 90% of a committed GBP 154,211,173. By 2019, the organization showed a trend toward diversifying its capital sources, with 53% of leveraged capital coming from private funding and 47% from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).
• The success of commercial agri-businesses depends on high smallholder demand and a robust project pipeline supported by strong policy environments and climate risk analytics. While AgDevCo is active in ten countries, the document identifies Burundi, Somalia, Chad, and Niger as potential areas of high demand due to agricultural employment rates exceeding 70%.

APA

Climate Policy Initiative (2021). Subsidized Impact Investing Funds: AgDevCo. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/gca-africa-adaptation-finance/case_studies/subsidized-impact-investing-funds-agdevco-2/

Chicago

Climate Policy Initiative. Subsidized Impact Investing Funds: AgDevCo. 2021. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/gca-africa-adaptation-finance/case_studies/subsidized-impact-investing-funds-agdevco-2/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Policy Initiative |title=Subsidized Impact Investing Funds: AgDevCo |date=16 September 2021 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/gca-africa-adaptation-finance/case_studies/subsidized-impact-investing-funds-agdevco-2/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatepolicyinitiative2021subsidized, author = {{Climate Policy Initiative}}, title = {{Subsidized Impact Investing Funds: AgDevCo}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2021}, month = sep, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/gca-africa-adaptation-finance/case_studies/subsidized-impact-investing-funds-agdevco-2/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }