The Technical Assistance Facility or the African Agriculture Fund

Gilles Peltier, siégea au Conseil de 

surveillance du AAF jusqu’en juin 2012 

au titre de l’Agence française de 

développement (AFD), un des 

promoteurs initiaux du Fonds.

The Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) is a grant based facility, that supports capacity building for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) invested in by the African Agriculture Fund (AAF) and its SME Fund, improve linkages between outgrower, smallholders and the companies invested in by the AAF and enhance rural financing opportunities in areas where AAF invests.

TAF was innovated to support AAF, a private equity fund, managed by Phatisa, to address food security challenges across the African continent. The purpose of this facility is to provide technical assistance to agri and food related businesses that receive investment through the AAF, allowing them to create new opportunities for smallholder farmers, farmer business groups and rural communities.

• The TAF is funded primarily by the European Commission and overseen by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and co-sponsored by the Italian Development Cooperation, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the AAF.
• TechnoServe was appointed in October 2011 by IFAD to manage this facility. TechnoServe is a US headquartered not-for-profit organization with over 40 years of experience catalysing private-sector led inclusive economic growth in Africa.
• As the TAF Manager, TechnoServe will work with the Phatisa team to identify technical assistance (TA) needs of AAF portfolio companies, develop recommendations for TA support, identify and contract TA providers to deliver this support, and manage the delivery of TA projects to address these needs.
• The TAF team is led by the TAF Senior Advisor, Sarah Holmes, who is a senior manager and business development specialist with nearly 10-years of experience spanning both the private and development sectors.
• See more at Technoserve

Market Research and Marketing Strategy

Sector: Food processing
Project size: €22,000 (excl. company match funding)Country: Ethiopia
Project description: Two month project to assess local market, create a marketing strategy for the company and build the capacity of the company sales and marketing teams to implement the strategy
Status: Project dcommenced early June 2013

	Agronomic Technical Assistance Sector: Cereal farming Country: Cameroon AAF Portfolio Company: West End Farms Project size: €100,000 (including match funding from portfolio company) Project description: Twelve month project providing agronomic technical assistance including soil analysis, on the job coaching for farm labourers and farm development expertise for an SME cereal farm in Cameroon Status: In progress
	Smallholder Oil Palm Support Program Sector: Oil Palm Country: Sierra Leone AAF Portfolio Company: Goldtree Holdings Project size: €250,000 Project description: A two-year support program for smallholder oil palm farmers supplying Goldtree, focused on training and organizing farmers as well as facilitating finance/inputs Status: TA Provider selected and project will commence July 2013
	Outgrower Replanting Strategy Sector: Oil Palm Country: Sierra Leone Company: Goldtree Holdings Project size: €40,0000 Project description: Three month consulting assignment to develop financial product relevant for smallholder oil palm tree replanting in Sierra Leone and identify potential funders Status: Complete
	Road Development Plan Sector: Oil Palm Country: Sierra Leone Company: Goldtree Holdings Project size: €40,0000 Project description: Five month project to put together development and maintenance plan for roads linking smallholder outgrower farms to Goldtree buying stations Status: In progress
	Capacity Building in Management Information System Sector: Cereal farming Country: Cameroon Company: West End Farms Project size: €32,000 (incl. company match funding) Project description: Two month project to assist the farm to select and implement the optimal management information system (MIS), as well as build capacity of the local team to operate the MIS effectively and efficiently Status: Project due to commence id June 2013
	Outgrower scheme feasibility study Sector: Oil palm Country: DRC Project size: €40,000 Project description: The TA Provider would asses whether or not it is feasible to put in place a smallholder oil palm outgrower scheme in DRC and if so, what it should look like. In particular, the study would evaluate the environmental impact of establishing such a scheme. Status: To be approved

	Evaluation of Bottom of the Pyramid Egg Distribution Opportunities Sector: Poultry (layer) Country: Zambia Company: Golden Lay Limited Project size: €40,000 Project description: Two month project to identify initiatives whereby TAF could support local egg distributors ("ntembas") to increase incomes by selling higher volumes of eggs Status: In progress
	Outgrower Scheme Strategy and Implementation Sector: Horticulture Country: Zimbabwe Project size: €160,000 Project description: Six week phase to design an outgrower scheme for smallholder farmers to supplement supply of horticultural produce to integrator company followed by a two year program to implement the scheme that will focus on leadership, business and agrononomic training as well as facilitating finance for inputs for smallholder outgrowers Status: Tender to be released soon
	Smallholder Soya Support Program Sector: Poultry (layer) Country: Zambia Company: Golden Lay Limited Project size: €200,000 Project description: The TA Provider will establish community-based agents/dealers to facilitate inputs and extension for smallholder soya farmers and aggregate smallholder soya for sale to the company. Status: Due to commence June/July 2013

Related: 
L’African Agriculture Fund achève sa seconde capitalisation