Reducing poverty through increased local investment and strong business partnerships between commercial investors and communities that historically have been excluded from the mainstream local economy

Maruleng and Bushbuckridge Economic Development Initiative (MABEDI)

Country: South Africa
Contract Period: February 2006 - December 2009
Client: Business Trust and the Department of Provincial and Local Government

Download the Project Brochure (PDF 43kb)
Read More in the Business Trust eBulletin No 21, 16 October 2009 (PDF 72kb)

ECIAfrica is a subcontractor to the Cooperative League of the United States of America in implementing the Agricultural Development and Finance programme branded as ProAgro Angola. The programme is designed to increase the growth of selected commodity value chains while creating business opportunities and capabilities of small- and medium-scale farmers and entrepreneurs.

To achieve its goal, ProAgro Angola seeks to:

• ■ Identify specific market opportunities;
• ■ Improve the competitiveness of selected industries and enhance enterprise performance in order to promote the production of selected agricultural commodities and products for both local and export markets;
• ■ Create job opportunities and increase revenue and economic benefits for all stakeholders in the value chain;
• ■ Improve coordination among value chain participants and supporting institutions to enable firms and industries to respond to market demands in the short and long run; and
• ■ Increase the depth of benefits at the industry and small and medium-sized enterprise levels.

During the first year, the project focused on three sectors: coffee, bananas, and potatoes. The programme team has developed sector strategies to promote production for both local and export markets. The programme has facilitated access to loans for 24 producers to promote production in the three target sectors. Thus far, sales transactions for both input suppliers and buyers are valued at close to $1.2 million.