Special Initiatives

Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD), a partnership among AGRA, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and NEPAD to double rice production in Africa from the present 14 million tons/year to 28 million tons/year by 2018.

Link to CARD: http://www.riceforafrica.org/
Link to JICA: www.jica.go.jp/english/

The African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) is a US$50-100m private sector fund hosted by AGRA, which funds private sector innovation to spur rural development through like-for-like investment. AECF is funded by The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), DFID, IFAD, and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).

Link to AECF: www.aecfafrica.org
Link to CGAP: www.cgap.org
Link to NMFA: www.minbuza.nl/en/home

The Africa Agriculture Fund (AAF) supports private agricultural companies and cooperatives that implement strategies to increase and diversify agricultural production in Africa and reduce risks from volatility in commodity prices. The AAF aims raise 200 million Euros during its first phase and has a final target size of 500 million Euros to invest in organizations that support small-scale farmers and respect the environment. AGRA partnered with the French Agency for Development (AFD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to launch the AAF.

Link to AFD: www.afd.fr/jahia/Jahia/lang/en/home