How CASA and Equator Commodities worked together
Project title: Strengthen SME capacity to access finance & Investment to start/ expand their businesses and investment in sesame processing that is aimed at increasing efficiency and engagement of smallholders
CASA supported Equator Commodities to become investment-ready so that the company can attract funds from commercial and impact investors to finance their capital investment programme (warehouse/silos, and agro-processing machinery) and the working capital required to expand its operations. CASA also supported the company to implement the Village Agent model through which the company was able to identify, recruit and train Village Agents as well as training of farmers on good agronomic practices (GAPs) and post-harvest handling (PHH) thus improving the quality and quantity of sesame produced by smallholder farmers in its network.
CASA work complete: December 2021
Total cost of technical assistance package: £182,010 [£51.436 provided by CASA]
150
village agents trained
4,235 smallholder farmers
(male 1,883 female 2,352) trained in agronomy to improve sesame production
15,000 kg
of improved variety of sesame seeds provided to 5,000 smallholder farmers on credit