This investment was made when British International Investment was named CDC Group.
Our investment
In 2015, British International Investment committed $10 million into AIF, through the Impact Accelerator, alongside other DFIs.
Expected impact
There are high levels of chronic child malnutrition in the region. National import barriers and stringent manufacturing requirements had prevented the local development of a suitable high-quality product, allowing community management of malnutrition.
Our investment funded the greenfield construction of a processing facility in Kigali to service World Food Programme (WFP) and local government contracts, as well as commercial retail routes. The facility meets the highest standards set by WFP and the World Health Organisation.
The plant will produce nutritious porridge flours (with added milk, vitamins and minerals) reaching, through the Ministry of Health, vulnerable population segments. These include pregnant and breast-feeding mothers, older infants and young children, especially in the first 1,000 days of their lives. A significant proportion of the plant's products will also be sold to WFP.
In 2017, WFP reached 1.7 million children in South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya, and the Rwanda Ministry of Health programme reached 74,916 children and 15,344 pregnant women and nursing mothers. AIF buys its maize and soy from local farmers, and has also created a network of rural collection centres where smallholders can sell their produce without having to transport it large distances. As of 2017 nearly 9000 farmers were included in its supply chain.
Environmental and social aspects
Following our investment, AIF implemented world-class health and safety standards at its construction site.
A video documenting these best practices will be used to support demonstrations and training.
Key facts
- Status:
- Active
- Region
:
Since 2012, we’ve only invested in Africa and South Asia. Investments outside these regions are from our pre-2012 portfolio.
- Africa, East Africa
- Countries:
- Rwanda
- Sector
:
We have seven priority sectors. However, we continue to invest outside these sectors, largely in the most challenging regions, as new investment supporting any sector helps to underpin the private sector, and create jobs and livelihoods for people.
- Food and agriculture
- Website:
- https://www.africaimprovedfoods.com/
- Investment type
:
We provide capital in three broad ways: direct equity, debt, and intermediated equity (principally through investment funds).
- Direct Equity
- Start date
:
For direct investments, this is the date British International Investment committed capital to the business or project.
For funds, this is the date that British International Investment committed capital to the fund.
For underlying fund investments, this is the date that the fund invested capital into the business.e
- August 2015
- Amount
:
For direct investments, this is the total amount that British International Investment has committed to the business or project (it may be a combination of equity and debt).
For funds, this is the total amount that British International Investment has committed to the fund.
- $10m
- Domicile
:
This is the investee company’s place of incorporation; or a fund’s jurisdiction.
- Netherlands
