Agri VIE II: FISEA equity investment to support agro-industry enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa

Building on its position as a forerunner in investment in the agribusiness sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as its experience of the management of a first vehicle (USD 100m, 12 investments between 2009 and 2014), the Agri VIE team will continue its activity via Agri VIE II with a wide range of 6 subsectors: beverage production, dairy product manufacturing, livestock raising and dietary animal protein processing, food vegetable oil processing and agricultural input production.

Agri VIE II is a venture capital fund for the agribusiness sector in Sub-Saharan Africa and will target controlling equity investments by positioning itself as the leading institutional investor in the capital of companies which are not yet mature. The fund’s support will be based on two pillars: (i) the development of a local production tool to replace imported processed products, (ii) the structuring of vertically integrated regional actors. The geographical area targeted includes Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia, Rwanda and South Africa.

The project will have a number of socioeconomic impacts, particularly in terms of employment and support for the private sector. Agri VIE benefits from proven and verifiable experience with the first fund showing: (i) 8,500 direct jobs supported, including 73% of full-time employees and 27% of seasonal workers, (ii) 8,600 smallholder planters indirectly supported, (iii) 2,100 microenterprises/SMEs indirectly supported, (iv) over USD 20m of tax revenues paid to States by the companies invested in since the fund’s investment.