Maize

The investment aims to increase maize production by 2.5 million MT per year by 2030 from the current 3 million MT per year through targeted investments in mechanization, irrigation, and post-harvest management. Investments in mechanization will enhance maize production efficiency and productivity by establishing 838 one-stop mechanization hubs. These hubs will provide mechanization services through a rental model. The services offered at the hubs will be diversified to cover different crops throughout the year, ensuring that the equipment is utilized outside the traditional maize-growing season. Investments in irrigation will focus on expanding irrigation infrastructure to increase agricultural output, with plans to provide 50,000 farmers with irrigation kits comprising Boreholes, 1HP Solar pumps, and drip irrigation kits (1 Ha each) through discounted loan programs. This investment opportunity aims to enhance water accessibility and enable year-round cultivation. Investments in seed breeding, nutritional diversity and post-harvest loss reduction post-harvest management will focus on constructing 200 warehouses, each with a capacity of 5000MT, to facilitate aggregation and marketing. These warehouses will be available to grain traders through rental arrangements, improving access to better storage and reducing losses.

Soybean

The proposed total investment in soybeans is USD 47.9 million that would yield a high internal rate of 17 to 38 percent across the three investment areas. Investments in improved production throughout grower schemes area will address the challenge of limited access to inputs such as seeds and fertilizer, and agricultural services has resulted in a low productivity level of 0.9MT/Ha. The aim is to improve production throughout grower schemes by providing integrated packages of inputs, including seed, fertilizer, and inoculum, along with essential services like mechanization and agricultural insurance. This investment is targeted to support 138,060 hectares, supplemented by comprehensive training and financing to facilitate adoption. Investments in post-harvest management will address the challenges of high reliance on manual threshing methods resulting in an estimated 5% loss of produce due to shattering and lodging. Investment will set up 50 SMEs to offer threshing services with locally manufactured threshers. In addition, partnerships with producers will be established to ensure sufficient utilization of these services. Investments in high quality seed multiplication will address the challenge of excessive seed recycling and low use of certified seeds due to high prices. The investments will target 108 small-holder farmer associations, equipping them with the necessary inputs and training to cultivate certified seeds. 

Honey

The beekeeping sector is set to receive significant investments in three key areas. Firstly, investments forest concessions will require USD22 million to establish public-private partnerships, sustainably manage forest resources, and increase hive productivity to 30 kg/hive through pilot projects. Secondly, USD3 million will be required in Queen Rearing, establishing specialized centers in four provinces to enhance bee colony health and improve hive productivity. Long-term contracts and risk-sharing agreements will stabilize demand and ensure sustainability. Lastly, the Out-grower scheme will need USD23.2 million to improve bulking and processing infrastructure, connecting small-scale beekeepers to larger processors in six provinces. Anchor processors will manage collection and processing, ensuring reliable market access and high-quality honey production. These investments aim to streamline the value chain, improve productivity, and increase access to markets and quality control for beekeepers, ultimately meeting international standards and boosting the sector's overall performance.

Aquaculture

Investment in aquaculture aims to increase fish production from the current 76,627 MT (2023) to 130,000 MT in 2035, involving 86,875 direct beneficiaries. Investment of  USD 2.62 million will be required for Input Support construction of four hatcheries, four nurseries: four feed production plants, and four factories for producing cages and other aquaculture accessories. Investment of USD79.1 million for Out-grower Schemes through investments in five cages (6mx6mx6m) per fish farmer for 1,675 farmers and construction of 6,685 climate-smart fishponds in Northern, Northwestern and Western Provinces. Improving Post-harvest Management will require USD6.2 million which will focus on the construction of 7 cold rooms and 24 processing facilities to facilitate annual exports of 60 MT. Out-grower farmers will access these services at a cost. Investment in support services will focus on developing a regulatory framework for aquaculture production, improving extension services, improving feeder roads to enhance market access and promoting financing by out-grower farmers. Investing in these will require USD8.8 million.