Deadline: 16 April 2025
Alliances for Action (A4A) is an ITC flagship initiative dedicated to transforming global food systems by fostering sustainable and inclusive agricultural value chains and advancing the SDGs. Operating in over 45 countries globally, the A4A team brings farmers, processors, buyers, cooperatives, and capital providers together to create networks that enhance resilience and competitiveness for agribusinesses and smallholder farmers.
It emphasizes ethical, climate-smart practices aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to promote sustainable growth and advance social equity. Through tailored tools, resources, and capacity-building initiatives, the program empowers agribusinesses to thrive in competitive markets, unlocking their full potential while creating shared value across the agricultural value chain.
The 2025 Expression of Interest (EOI) is a key component of A4A’s Investment Promotion Approach. Beyond strengthening its current portfolio, this initiative aims to expand the pipeline of qualified agribusinesses to meet the needs and requirements of capital providers. The EOI will facilitate increased connections between investment-ready agribusinesses and investors through investment facilitation support that enhances investment readiness and access to funding opportunities, creating broader sector impact.
The EOI focuses on advancing investment readiness and facilitating investment promotion for agribusiness investment opportunities in specific value chains in eligible countries (stated below). Specifically, agribusinesses are for-profit entities, businesses, cooperatives, and entrepreneurs seeking investment capital, including angel investment, venture capital, equity, or debt.
Key areas of interest include sustainability, food security, digitalization, circularity, and renewable energy. Special attention will be given to agribusinesses that are:
- Led and/or owned by women
- Led and/or owned by youth
- Seek to reduce climate change impact through their activities or investment proposal
- Positively impact smallholder farmers’ livelihoods
Benefits
Selected participants will:
- Gain access to ITC’s global network of capital providers
- Access ITC’s extensive resources, trade tools, research, capacity building, and training
- Receive tailored support to refine business plans, pitch materials, and investment strategies, enhancing investment readiness and market positioning
- Learn about best market practices for raising capital, including navigating investor expectations, and improving competitive advantage
- Receive training in pitch-delivery and best-in-class marketing materials
- Participate in matchmaking opportunities with aligned investors
- Join a cohort of global agribusinesses seeking capital, fostering peer learning and collaboration opportunities to enhance collective success
- Showcase and pitch at investment forums and events, enhancing visibility and fostering partnerships
Eligibility
- For-profit agribusiness entities – MSMEs, smallholder farmers, entrepreneurs, and cooperatives operating in one or several countries listed in the eligible list.
- Operate on these specific value chains and associated crops: Coffee, cotton, fashion, cocoa, handcraft, livestock, and agricultural products.
- Offering products and services across the entire agribusiness value chains, including production, processing, logistics and transportation, infrastructure, etc.
- Applicants actively seek investment capital (debt or equity):
a. Between USD $100 and USD $300k
b. Between USD $300k and USD $1 million
c. Between USD $1 million and USD $3 million
d. Between USD $3 million and USD $8 million
e. Above USD $8 million
General Eligibility
- Be located in eligible countries: Agribusinesses in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Please see Annex 1 – page 5
- Be a for-profit enterprise: The Agribusiness seeking funding must be a for-profit entity.
- Submit in an acceptable language: Applicant proposals must be submitted in English, French or Spanish to be considered.
- Special attention: Proposals submitted by youth or female-led or owned agribusinesses, and/or those demonstrating a commitment to reducing climate change impact or positively impact smallholder farmers’ livelihoods.
- Operate in eligible agricultural value chains: In agribusiness sectors, enterprises work in farming, production, value addition, and distribution. Specifically, those agribusinesses that operate on these value chains and associated crops: Coffee, cotton, fashion, cocoa, handcraft, livestock, and agricultural products. Please see annex 1.
- Seek investment capital: Agribusinesses seek investment capital in debt or equity under one the following categories
a. Between USD $100 and USD $300k
b. Between USD $300k and USD $1 million
c. Between USD $1 million and USD $3 million
d. Between USD $3 million and USD $8 million
e. Above USD $8 million
For more information and application.