IDH

🤝In 2019, our business analytics team partnered with Union Service Stores Limited (USSL) in Tanzania to develop a smallholder-inclusive sourcing model for the maize value chain, reducing the company’s reliance on traders. 5 years later, our team assessed the impact of integrating their recommendations, and the results are inspiring: smallholder incomes have significantly increased, surpassing initial projections, and maize production volumes have increased. Despite higher production costs due to local fertilizer price hikes triggered by the Russian-Ukrainian war, the positive impact on smallholders and the company itself are great to see. Curious to learn more about the transformative impact on Union Service Stores? Check out the comprehensive report here! Steven de Jonge Ann Kitonga Mary Mwema Wouter van Monsjou IDH Intelligence #MarketTransformation

Nigeria faces critical challenges, including climate change, deforestation, flooding, land degradation, and biodiversity loss. To address these, FMAN has launched a tree-planting campaign in #Jigawa as part of the Wheat Expansion Project. This initiative, inaugurated by the Governor of Jigawa State on July 16, 2024, involves planting 20.000 trees, and an additional 5 million trees through the ACReSAL program. During the inauguration, 5,000 trees, including guava, grafted mango, citrus, and cashew, were presented for distribution to farmers and chosen for their environmental, economic, and social benefits. These trees enhance food security and diversify farmers' income alongside wheat cultivation. The event, attended by key stakeholders such as the Governor of Jigawa State, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, traditional rulers, and community farmers, was highly successful. The governor commends the partnership between IDH and FMAN, highlighting its significance for sustainable development. “This tree planting initiative is a testament to our commitment to sustainable development and economic empowerment,” said Aliyu Samaila, Head of Value Chain Development at FMAN. “We are thrilled to partner with IDH to bring lasting environmental and economic benefits to Jigawa State and Nigeria.” Dayo Ogundijo, PhD Titilayo Ayodeji

🌴Did You know Palm oil provides a livelihood for over 1.5 million people, constituting more than 25% of Aceh’s population? Palm oil is a pivotal sector for achieving sustainable development in Aceh Province, Indonesia. The region comprises 470,000 hectares of palm oil, representing 9% of the province's total area. Furthermore, 250,000 independent smallholder farmers manage more than 50% of these plantations. Based on those opportunities, the Government of Aceh Province has formulated a Sustainable Palm Oil (SPO) Roadmap 2023-2045 and an SPO Regional Action Plan 2023-2026 to establish a deforestation-free supply chain and increase living income and social inclusion. The roadmap results from collaborative efforts among Aceh's provincial government, the private sector, and civil society organizations. 📽Watch the video for more details about the roadmap ⤵ #SustainablePalmOil #NoDeforestation #Indonesia Yayasan Inisiatif Dagang Hijau (IDH)

☀️ Summer holidays are here, and it's the perfect time to catch up on the latest trends and insights in a relaxed setting. To help you stay informed and inspired, we've curated a special edition of our smallholder-inclusive business newsletter. Our latest issue tackles the living income dilemma and proposes actionable strategies for practitioners. Plus, stories and updates from the community to keep you informed and connected. Read the latest insights, innovations, and investments driving smallholder-inclusive agriculture to make impactful business decisions. 📚👉 https://lnkd.in/e_fkFFcX #LivingIncome #Innovation #SustainabilityMatters #SmallholderAgriculture

IDH #Rwanda organized the Peer Learning Conference to facilitate knowledge exchange and experience sharing among stakeholders in the horticulture value chain. More than 60 participants attended the conference, including representatives from Government institutions such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, financial institutions, private companies, service providers, and other value chain actors.    During the conference, key presentations covered topics such as the state of the Rwandan horticulture sector, data for optimized export market, and food systems transformation. There were also two panel discussions: one focused on advancing Rwandan horticulture by embracing sustainability, quality, and innovations towards job creation, and the other on navigating horticultural markets, trends, diversification, and financial inclusion.    Dr Chantal, DG planning in MINAGRI, emphasized that projects or programs supporting agriculture should align with the country's vision 2050 and the Ministry's strategy PSTA 5, which aims to boost exports, promote horticultural products and prioritize private sector engagement. She highlighted the importance of recognizing and supporting smallholder farmers, SMEs, and other unique needs within the private sector to help them engage in agribusiness.   “Within the country’s vision 2050, horticulture value chains are seen as great income and job creation opportunities, especially for youth and women. In the next five years, our target is to create at least 600,000 jobs for youth in the agrifood systems, from the current target of 400,000 jobs” she said. She emphasized that horticulture is also a key contributor to nutrition improvement. #Sustainabletrade #horticulture #valuechains

Koa is the first company in West Africa to utilise parts of the cocoa fruit that are usually discarded (pulp and husk) to create an additional revenue stream for farmers, independent of cocoa beans. The pulp is turned into juice, dried pulp powders, as well as juice concentrates, which can be used in gastronomy and the food industry. This raises farmer income and empowers rural communications in West Africa through food innovation.   IDH Farmfit Fund and South Pole’s Landscape Resilience Fund (LRF), provided long-term CAPEX loans to Koa for the construction of their new factory in 2022. The initial commitment of the Fund and LRF helped Koa secure the equity financing they needed to keep expanding their work.   “We were looking for mission-aligned investors with a smallholder focus. What was particularly interesting about IDH and IDH Farmfit Fund was its knowledge about the cocoa industry. This makes IDH special among our investors.” – Fabien Nizard, Head of Corporate Finance & Investor Relations   Read the full story on Koa: https://lnkd.in/e-72GPuu   Fabien Nizard Thomas K. IDH Invest Koa Switzerland & Ghana Landscape Resilience Fund (LRF) #Cocoa #LivingIncome #Innovation #Sustainability

Sustainable procurement and responsible contracting can be used to move from shifting all the risk onto suppliers, into shared responsibility.   Procurement’s evolving role extends to becoming a cornerstone of companies’ sustainability strategies. By redefining procurement practices, we can ensure equitable distribution of value and risks – cultivating a robust and sustainable agricultural sector.   IDH introduced five core principles towards sustainable procurement.   Are you interested in learning more? Please contact [email protected] for more information.   #LivingIncome #LivingWage #SustainableProcurement Mark Birch Vaibhav Panpaliya

We're excited to share the latest developments from the seventh meeting of the Cocoa and Forests Initiative (CFI) Steering Committee, led by the Ivorian Minister of Water and Forests. This pivotal meeting brought together key stakeholders, from the signatories to key observers, to review the initiative’s progress and outline crucial steps for sustainable cocoa production in Côte d'Ivoire. Key Highlights from the meeting - Approval of a diagnostic study on CFI's operations and governance to clarify stakeholder roles and improve governance effectiveness. - Contribution to developing a national deforestation monitoring system led by the Prime Minister's Office, leveraging satellite tools to enhance deforestation mitigation. - Directives to formalise a memorandum of understanding for a collective project within the CFI landscape, prioritising the Yapo-Abbé and Bossématié forests. The Ivorian Minister of Water and Forests emphasised the importance of continued dialogue and collective actions among cocoa and forestry stakeholders. With over €1 million invested in the past three years to support the CFI secretariat, IDH remains committed to providing financial and technical support to ensure the success of the landscape projects to be developed and the execution of CFI's priority actions.  Together, we are driving sustainable cocoa farming and forest preservation in Côte d'Ivoire. #BetterEnvironment #NoDeforestation

Tamanaa Company Ltd (TCL), a Ghanaian agricultural company, secured the "Most Outstanding in Agribusiness" award at the prestigious Africa Outstanding Professional Awards 2024 in #Tanzania. This award recognizes accomplished professionals across various economic sectors across the continent. The program aims to promote professionalism and contribute to Africa's competitiveness in the global market. The Grains of Growth Program and Farmfit Technical Assistance have supported Tamanaa over the past two years, contributing to its operations and #rice value chain transformation. Tamanaa is part of the Grains for Growth program and empowers over 4.000 smallholder rice farmers, with women comprising roughly 60% of its beneficiaries. The company offers a comprehensive package of services, including mechanization (ploughing and harvesting), certified agro-inputs (seeds and fertilizers), training in best agricultural practices, and access to credit facilities. These interventions facilitate paddy rice production and aggregation for milling at the company’s 290 MT milling capacity per day facility at Nasia. Tamanaa's positive influence extends beyond farm production. It has created over 12.000 seasonal jobs within the rice value chain, especially for women and youth.

To move the needle on living income we need to build good relationships that are anchored in effective collaboration while leveraging evidence and data to underpin holistic strategies. The The Living Income Community of Practice (LICOP), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and IDH published five principles of inclusion in advancing living income. Will you join us to action these? 1.    Champion Essential Role of Farmers in Global Sustainability & Resilience 2.    Invest Together in Farmers’ Livelihoods 3.    Leverage Legislation to Benefit Smallholder Farmers 4.    Commit to Long-term Relationships and Due Diligence Practices 5.    Manage and measure Living Income Commitments with Inclusivity https://lnkd.in/eNd3ru-j #LivingIncome #SmallholderFarmers Pavithra Ram Stephanie L. Daniels