The East Africa USAID-Kenya is seeking insights through a Request for Information (RFI) for the USAID/Kenya and East Africa Private Sector Development Initiative, aimed at enhancing private sector development in the agricultural sector. The initiative focuses on accelerating agriculture-led growth by fostering partnerships with larger agricultural firms and expanding smallholder farmer out-grower schemes, with an emphasis on innovative financing models that combine technical assistance with commercial finance. This initiative is critical for promoting job creation and increasing agricultural exports in Kenya, aligning with USAID’s broader economic growth and food security objectives. Interested stakeholders can submit their feedback confidentially to Wacu Kiragu at wkiragu@usaid.gov by March 28, 2022, as responses will inform future solicitations and the design of the initiative.

72061522RFI00002 - Private Sector Development Initiative.pdf

72061522RFI00002.pdf

The document is a Request for Information (RFI) from USAID/Kenya and East Africa (KEA) regarding a new initiative aimed at enhancing private sector development in agriculture. Issued on March 7, 2022, the RFI seeks insights from various stakeholders, including private corporations and local organizations in Kenya, to guide the design of the initiative. The primary objective is to accelerate agriculture-led growth through partnerships, particularly focusing on expanding smallholder farmer schemes.

USAID intends to explore innovative financing models that combine technical assistance with commercial finance, promoting job creation and increasing agricultural exports. Feedback is requested on several critical questions, including barriers to agribusiness growth, sustainable funding mechanisms, and potential private sector investment strategies in remote areas. Responses to this RFI are voluntary and confidential, aimed at informing future solicitations and do not constitute a binding contract.

Following a locally-led development approach, USAID aims to engage with established Kenyan entities experienced in agricultural finance. Insights gathered will influence the structure of future proposals, ensuring alignment with USAID’s broader economic growth and food security objectives.

USAID/Kenya and East Africa (USAID/KEA)&#8217;s Office of Economic Growth and Integration is designing a new activity. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to request comments and recommendations related to the structure of this activity from private corporations, financial institutions, chambers of commerce, and other private-sector organizations, as well as implementing partners, development partners, government, and other relevant counterparts operating in Kenya.Approach: USAID is developing a new activity focused on accelerating ag-led growth in Kenya through partnerships with larger agricultural sector firms (such as processors and off-takers) and expansion of smallholder farmer out-grower schemes. The anticipated activity will focus on creating jobs and generating large scale increases in sales/exports in the agriculture sector cost-effectively and, ideally, through a sustainable and locally-led vehicle. The activity would combine tools used in USAID&#8217;s traditional private-sector development activities with tools used to mobilize finance and investment into one mechanism - supporting a range of agricultural firms to expand investments and operations via a blended finance approach. Please click on the &quot;RELATED DOCUMENTS&quot; tab for the full RFI announcement details.

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