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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.

The Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) and Rabobank Foundation established a USD 2.25 million mechanism in Ethiopia to mitigate risk for lenders providing loans to coffee farmers for processing equipment. By guaranteeing 50% of losses from defaults, the scheme enabled over 23 cooperatives to access commercial credit, supported by technical assistance from CABI and Rabobank International Advisory Services. The document highlights the complementary roles of high-risk appetite philanthropic/DFI funds and low-risk commercial banks, while outlining the legal and pipeline requirements necessary for successful credit guarantee schemes in agriculture.

The report assesses gender inequalities in Thailand, specifically within the agricultural sector, to inform a climate resilience project. It identifies that while women are active in farming, they face systemic barriers in decision-making, resource access, and leadership, particularly in water management. The document proposes a comprehensive action plan including the use of gender-responsive participatory tools, the establishment of a gender working group, and targeted support for women's leadership and financial access to ensure that at least 50% of project beneficiaries are women.

The document outlines a request for USD 221,396 from the GCF PPF to complete the design of the PEARL project in Cambodia. The project focuses on transitioning smallholder farmers from traditional rain-fed rice to climate-resilient, high-value crops including cashew, mango, organic rice, and vegetables. Key preparation activities include climate modeling for target crops, identifying catchment restoration areas, designing a revolving fund for infrastructure, and conducting integrated financial and economic analyses. The project intends to benefit approximately 450,000 farmers by improving agrometeorological services and financial access, with a total indicative project cost of USD 41.975 million over eight years.

The Smallholder Resilience Fund (SRF) is a proposed blended finance mechanism and venture studio aimed at bridging the $65 billion financing gap for agricultural SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa. By employing a 'synchronized investment' strategy—providing equity, debt, and working capital across entire value chains—the SRF seeks to de-risk investments and enable smallholders to diversify into climate-smart, high-value crops. The initiative, proposed by One Acre Fund, will pilot in Rwanda's avocado value chain with a $4.2 million grant requirement to catalyze an estimated $50-100 million in total capital over ten years, aiming to increase the annual income of over 100,000 farmers by approximately 15%.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted African food supply chains through reduced urban demand, export market collapses, and movement restrictions, though it also increased demand for local produce and accelerated the use of digital tools. While agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa grew modestly between 2000 and 2018, innovation is now being driven by urbanization and private sector technical assistance. The author recommends that governments shift from temporary subsidies toward long-term investments in rural infrastructure, health, education, and agricultural research, while establishing 'nerve centers' to analyze food chain data and resolve bottlenecks.

The project aims to address the high vulnerability of Palestinian small-scale agriculture to droughts, water shortages, and heat waves. It proposes a three-pronged approach: strengthening production systems through indigenous seeds and water-harvesting techniques, increasing technical capacity via a digital knowledge hub and early warning systems, and improving market access through a multi-stakeholder platform and tailored microfinance products. The initiative targets 38,250 direct beneficiaries across 122 climate hotspots in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with a total indicative cost of 10 million USD.

The Cerrado biome accounts for approximately one third of Brazil's rural credit and agricultural production, with a high concentration of financial flows toward large-scale crop production, particularly soy. While the region has attracted more private funding sources like Agricultural Credit Notes (LCA) than other Brazilian biomes, the credit market remains dominated by public banks, specifically Banco do Brasil. There is a significant scarcity of credit for small and medium producers, as programs like PRONAF represent only 4% of the rural credit volume in the biome. The report argues that improving credit access for smaller producers is essential for increasing productivity and reducing deforestation pressures.

The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 4 million tCO2eq over 15 years and increase the resilience of 250,000 rice farmers in 15 Thai provinces. It focuses on scaling up climate-smart technologies—such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Laser Land Levelling (LLL)—while addressing financial barriers through the creation of the Thai Green Farmers’ Facility (TGFF). The project integrates mitigation and adaptation by promoting water-saving practices and diversifying crops to combat increasing water scarcity and drought.

The document analyzes the vulnerability of sub-Saharan African food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting a heavy reliance on global imports and a lack of fiscal capacity for social protection. It details how governments primarily used interventionist market, trade, and production policies, while highlighting severe disruptions in input supply, labor, and logistics. The authors argue for a shift toward more agile governance, investment in infrastructure, and the effective implementation of regional trade agreements to build future resilience.

The document examines integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) systems, which recycle nutrients between crops, livestock, and fish to increase productivity and reduce external inputs. It argues that IAA is a promising climate-smart land use approach for Southeast Asia, offering benefits such as livelihood diversification, improved water efficiency, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The brief emphasizes the need for inclusive policies, gender equity, and regional cooperation through ASEAN frameworks to scale up these systems for smallholder farmers.

The document examines the role of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in supporting smallholder farmer resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a study of six countries and commodities, it finds that VSS compliance can provide higher incomes through premiums, stronger buyer relationships, and better access to training. However, VSSs do not fully protect farmers from international price volatility or asymmetric power dynamics in supply chains. The brief recommends that governments leverage VSSs alongside social protection programs, minimum producer prices, and sustainable sourcing frameworks to enhance farmer livelihoods.

The document examines the role of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in supporting smallholder farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. While VSSs generally do not protect farmers from global price volatility or asymmetric power dynamics, they can enhance resilience through higher prices/premiums, stronger buyer-producer relationships, market diversification, and better access to training. The study analyzes six sectors: rice in Cambodia, cotton in India, avocado in Colombia, banana in Guatemala, cashew in Guinea-Bissau, and coffee in Rwanda. It concludes that governments should complement VSSs with policies such as minimum producer prices, expanded social protection, and incentives for sustainable consumption to further build farmer resilience.

The report assesses gender inequalities in Tanzania, specifically within the agriculture sector, identifying four primary barriers for women: land ownership, labor access, technical/technological gaps, and financial constraints. It reviews national and international policy frameworks and proposes how the TACATDP project will address these barriers through adaptation credits, guarantee support, and technical assistance.

The report identifies systemic gender inequalities across seven Sahelian countries that hinder women's resilience to climate change, specifically citing limited land ownership, high burdens of unpaid care work, and restricted access to climate information and financial services. It proposes a Gender Action Plan to increase women's economic empowerment, reduce workloads through solar-powered technologies, and improve access to climate-smart agricultural inputs and micro-insurance, targeting at least 40% of interventions for women.

The report analyzes the economic risks of palm oil monocropping for independent smallholders in Berau, Indonesia, finding that palm oil returns are often below minimum living costs. It argues that diversifying into crops like maize and cocoa can significantly increase revenue—potentially by up to 825% for maize—while enhancing regional food security and economic stability. The study recommends that the Berau government strengthen priority economic programs, facilitate access to agricultural financing and insurance, and implement environmental safeguards for alternative crops.

The document analyzes the conflict between trade liberalisation, supported by developed nations, and food sovereignty, advocated by developing nations. It argues that while trade can increase food availability, it often sidelines smallholder farmers and creates dependencies. The author recommends that the G20 synchronise domestic policies and implement the 2008 L’Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI) to support local food systems. For the UN World Food Systems Summit, the brief suggests creating a framework for private sector participation and transforming food systems to be more inclusive and sustainable, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 and the US-China trade war.

A case study on the Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) project in Talensi, Ghana, detailing how a low-cost land restoration technique has improved soil fertility, increased crop yields, and enhanced the climate resilience of over 10,000 smallholder farmers.

The document examines the integration of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into climate services through the Tandem framework, using a case study of coffee and cacao farmers in Bali, Indonesia. It highlights the challenges of bridging technical meteorological data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) with local practices, such as the Sasih lunar calendar. The study argues that for climate adaptation to be effective, TEK must be treated as an equally legitimate knowledge system rather than just a data source for extraction. The implementation of the School of Climate and Living Tradition (SaLT) demonstrated that aligning scientific forecasts with TEK increases the legitimacy of technical information among farmers and empowers local communities.

The document examines the vulnerability of coffee farming in Coto Brus, Costa Rica, where climate change threatens arabica coffee production. It highlights the role of farmer cooperatives, peer-to-peer learning, and cross-sectoral alliances in scaling adaptation. The brief provides six recommendations, including diversifying incomes through alternative crops like vanilla and cacao, and establishing monitoring baselines for adaptation measures. It also notes similar regional efforts in Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico.