Country
Burundi

Local project artner
Fondazione AVSI, Cesena, Italien (Lead)
International Rescue Committee Inc. (IRC), New York, United States of America
Burundi Business Incubater (BBIN), Bujumbura, Burundi

German project partner
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Donor
EU

Duration
01.10.2023 - 31.03.2027

Strengthening rural entrepreneurship in the banana, honey and mushroom value chains is crucial for boosting employment in rural areas. These sectors are relevant to many stakeholders in terms of start-up costs, land use and rapid income generation, and are relatively easy to access. This is particularly true for the most vulnerable groups targeted by the project, namely unemployed young people and women who attend FARN (Foyers d'Apprentissage et de Réhabilitation Nutritionnels) centres. These centres were set up to combat malnutrition through educational measures, particularly for (breastfeeding) mothers. The aim is to enable these vulnerable groups to participate in economic life.

In addition to improving the nutritional situation, the project works to strengthen entrepreneurs in terms of production, processing and marketing, entrepreneurial skills, risk identification and management, financial education and banking discussions (savings, access to credit, financial planning, investments). The DSIK focuses its work in the consortium on improving access to finance, which explicitly includes the management of a credit fund provided by consortium partner AVSI.

Task:

• Additional refinancing funds will be made available through the establishment of a revolving credit fund by consortium partner AVSI and the acquisition of local financial institutions.
• In addition, partial cost subsidies will be awarded to the target group, which will launch income-generating projects together with companies already established on the market.
• At least 360 start-ups will receive coaching and mentoring for six months after their establishment.
• At the same time, efforts will be made to reduce information asymmetry between agricultural MSMEs and financial institutions in order to facilitate access to finance.
• Financial institutions are supported in the development of target group-oriented financial products.
• The production side is additionally supported by grants for research purposes to participating universities or institutes to improve food quality and the use of raw materials within the value chains concerned.