West Africa Technical Assistance Facility

Results achieved as of the end of the project (September 2017) include : (1) technical assistance assignments directly trained 674 people working in or with Injaro Agricultural Capital Holdings Limited (IACHL) investees; (2) companies receiving technical assistance achieved an increase of revenues from point of investment from IAHCL created 2 001 jobs over the project period and enabled 285 006 smallholder farmers to enhance crop productivity and agricultural resilience through improved and certified hybrid seeds. All companies receiving direct technical assistance showed sustained capacity improvements in targeted areas 6 months following the training; (3) Mobile Business Clinics (MBC) provided management training to 124 agricultural small and medium sized enterprises across Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire and trained 190 managers on improved management practices to enhance operations on an ongoing basis. Investors are recognizing MBC’s capacity to identify and improve the investment readiness of high potential agribusinesses. To date 4 agribusinesses graduating from MBC have secured $410 280 CAD in financing following business pitch events and investor linkages organized as a part of MBC training program; (4) the project launched MBC Business Network to offer graduates on-going peer to peer support trainings and links to investors. At time of project close 5 chapters are actives and led by MBC graduates (1 in Abidjan and 4 in Accra); (5) MBC Africa launched 5 Youth Fellows Programs trainings with 90 graduates. Within 6 months after completing the training program 63 % of external technical assistance providers trained found employment . These achievements led to the improvement of the performance of small and medium sized enterprises operating along the agribusiness value chain in Côte d'Ivoire Ghana and Mali and the creation of jobs for youth. They also generated sustainable economic growth improvement of incomes and food security for smallholder farmers most