With support from the European Union Delegation in Uganda (EUD), UNCDF Uganda is launching the 2nd phase of the START (Support to Agricultural Revitalization & Transformation) facility project. The 2nd phase of the START facility is designed to promote growth and job creation by investing in fully integrated and sustainable agribusiness Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that create and retain wealth within Uganda.
The Facility is intended to support SMEs to access affordable medium-term finance in Uganda through strengthening institutional capacity of agribusiness SMEs in value addition & processing to conduct sustainable business and business operations (including digital solutions), develop bankable green investment proposals based on green and circular economy principles. The 2nd phase of the START Facility will be implemented by UNCDF in partnership with apex private sector institutions and selected financial institutions including Uganda Development Bank Ltd (UDB).
UNCDF, through this RFA, seeks to develop inclusive digital economies in Uganda by strengthening the institutional capacity of the agribusiness SMEs and Financial Institutions (FIs) to conduct sustainable business and business operations using digital solutions. It’s imperative to focus on the Agri-business SMEs in Uganda given the fact that the sector accounts for approximately 80 percent of manufactured outputs, contributing to about 75 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and presents a sustainable and empowering response to unemployment challenges in addition to creation of a market for primary agricultural products and enabling national economic structural transformation.
The Agribusiness SME Digitization RFA Challenge is looking for an innovative and scalable digital solution that should address all the focus areas below, with an aim of empowering agribusiness SMEs across Uganda to access affordable medium-term financing to expand and grow their agribusinesses while working with value chain actors to ensure increase access to inputs, extension and advisory services, output markets and credits services.
Focus intervention areas under this RFA:
SME’s Records Management (production, Manufacturing, purchases, supplier mapping, sales, Marketing, expenses, stock, assets, liabilities, Customer Relationship Management
SME’s Accounting & Financial Management
SME’s Business Intelligence on performance & big data Analytics
SME’s Quality control and Compliance Management
Access to Extension service, market information and quality input
The proposed Digital solution will be deployed in the Agribusiness SME sector across all regions of Uganda, working with smallholder farmers in agricultural production, value addition, agro-processing, and marketing across all regions of Uganda. Priority will be given to Agribusiness SMEs that, empower vulnerable groups such as Women, Youth, Refugees & host communities, and Persons with Disabilities; SMEs from the Karamoja sub-region and SMEs encouraging green practices.
For queries write to mildred.wengonzi.b@uncdf.org cc uncdf.rfa@uncdf.org
Please submit your proposal trough this e-investment platform. Submissions using other templates or sent by other electronic or non electronic means will not be eligible.
For more information please download the following documents:
