AFDB1JP00001578

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Context and Objectives:

Agri-SMEs are central to Africa’s food systems, employment, and rural transformation, yet their growth is constrained by an estimated annual financing gap of approximately $100 billion for enterprises seeking between $25,000 and $5 million. Closing this gap directly supports the African Development Bank Group’s Ten-Year Strategy (TYS) 2024–2033, particularly its objectives of accelerating inclusive green growth and building prosperous, resilient economies. It also advances the Strategy’s emphasis on private-sector solutions, gender equality, opportunities for young people, climate action, resilience to shocks and fragility, and a substantial increase in financing for Africa. By promoting stronger coordination among public development institutions, commercial banks, institutional investors, capital-market actors, and other partners, NAFAD seeks to unlock Africa’s domestic capital, reduce the cost of finance, use risk-bearing instruments more effectively, and crowd private investment into productive sectors. For agri-SMEs, this approach provides a pathway to address market fragmentation and perceived risk through blended finance, guarantees, insurance, concessional resources, and investment platforms capable of moving finance at greater scale.

A key channel for translating these strategic commitments into investable operations is the Bank’s collaboration with external partners, including its role as a designated Supervision Entity for the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP).
Within GAFSP, the Business Investment Financing Track (BIFT) operates under the Private Sector Window, providing blended finance solutions and concessional funding to support projects that improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. BIFT invests across the entire food supply chain, from farm inputs to logistics, storage, processing, and financing, with a focus on early -stage agribusiness projects and agri -SMEs that have high potential for development impact. BIFT addresses market failures by providing affordable funding with less demanding terms, particularly in IDA and fragile and conflict-affected states.

The consultant will play a crucial role in supporting the origination and pipeline development for BIFT-supported investments that align with the Bank’s De-Risking Agricultural Finance and Climate Resilience (DAFCR) program objectives. This includes working closely with AHFR’s Agri-Food SME Catalytic Financing Mechanism (ACFM) to maximise complementarities and co-financing opportunities by combining relevant de-risking instruments—including BIFT, ACFM, and climate insurance—in blended-finance structures that improve the bankability of non-sovereign operations and position them for Bank financing.

Objective and Activities of the Assignment
The objectives for the International Individual Consultant for the De-risking Agricultural Finance and Climate Resilience (DAFCR) Program - Business Investment Financing Track (BIFT) are designed to:
a) Business Development and origination for BIFT financing: Origination and pipeline development, structuring of layering capabilities, leveraging co-financing opportunities, stakeholder engagement, and technical support, while adhering to the blended finance principles (BFPs).
b) Coordination and Integration of BIFT into the Bank’s DAFCR Program: Proposal development and submission, response to call for proposals and BIFT Activity Reporting
c) Program Alignment and Knowledge Sharing: Coordinate DAFCR/BIFT-related meetings, briefing materials, project amendment and extension memos to ensure strategic alignment with the Bank's agri -SME goals.
d) Develop and share knowledge products: Showcase project successes, lessons learned, and best practices to internal and external audiences.
e) Additional Responsibilities: Undertake any other tasks as required by senior management