About

Why is CASA relevant…

2020…
$632 billion invested in climate action
only
of private finance targeting adaptation in smallholder agriculture value chains, despite this sector being amongst the most vulnerable to climate change…

Consumption patterns are already changing, driven by a demand for more sustainable, traceable, ethically sourced and with lower carbon footprint food.

Climate agriculture investment in smallholder farming systems, should include targets mitigation and adaptation measures. The sector is highly vulnerable to climate change and needs to get behind investment in adaptive technologies…

Climate change is creating risks for investors, There are opportunities too. They are not just limited to just investments in agribusinesses agriculture, but to a host of support services – such as climate smart technologies, which contribute to improving the overall investment readiness and climate adaptation of the agricultural sector.


Value Chains

CASA will support SME agribusinesses, smallholder groups and business groups to increase their productivity and access to markets. While other components of CASA are engaging with investors operating in food systems across Asia and Africa, this component is focused on Nepal (with vegetable and dairy value chains), Malawi (with aquaculture and poultry) and Uganda (with sesame and beans).

  • More inclusive market structures, enabling smallholders to engage and participate in value chains
  • Improved pipeline of investable agribusinesses with significant smallholder supply chains
  • More transparent and competitive agribusiness enabling environment
Delivered by

Technical Assistance Facility

The CASA Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) will partner with investors to assess and demonstrate how inclusive technical assistance can strengthen the commercial viability and development impact of agribusinesses that source from smallholders. Through these investor partnerships, the CASA TAF will provide technical assistance to agribusinesses in the developing world to deepen the impact of their smallholder supply chains. The technical assistance aims to improve the operations and profitability of agribusiness sourcing models, allowing agribusinesses to do more and better business with smallholder farmers — while increasing investor returns.

  • Increase smallholder impact of existing investments made by investors;
  • Raise investor expectations in smallholder impact potential for future investments;
  • Increase provision of technical assistance by investors with development interests.
Delivered by

Research Communication

CASA is driving global investment for climate-resilient agri-food systems and increased smallholder incomes. This is achieved in three ways:

  • Identifying constraints, opportunities and addressing evidence gaps through research
  • Development communication and marketing to shape the debate on smallholder agriculture to influence actions of investors, governments and donors
  • Creating networking opportunities and promoting additionality through events and stakeholder engagement

All activities are informed by regular consultations with investors, investment promotion bodies, consultants, intermediaries, and donors. These activities are aligned with four key climate priority areas:

CASA works with its knowledge partners to sustain its impact and reciprocal learning with institutions and networks. CASA contributes research, knowledge curation and sharing, as well as brokerage. CASA also contributes to shaping a conducive, policy and enabling environment for investment in selected countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

CASA showcases learning from across the agribusiness sector, through;

  • Research evidence CASA has produced over 30 research papers to fill evidence gaps identified by the investor community. It has curated over 300 reports that can help inform investment decisions
  • CASA AID [Agricultural Investment Database] contains information from 300 investors by investment sectors, type of investment and ticket ranges and donor investments
  • A revolutionary format to cover difficult terrain in 4 minutes, called CASA 4x4s. There is a handy directory summarizes he first 24 four-minute video investor briefings. We also have produced video digests of events and two webinar series
  • CASA Investor Summits – facilitated conversations between agri-businesses and producers, investors and investment promotion bodies to identify policy priorities to incentivize investments
  • News updates, progress reports and lessons from the value chain projects

CASA also works closely with two other influential programmes:

EPIC, MMP pooled resources with CASA to deliver the webinar: Delivering on Regional Agricultural Trade: Considerations for Investors on Inclusive Supply Chains
 
Join the CASA mailing list

Delivered by