ISF Advisors

ISF Advisors is proud to partner with TechnoServe on this project

As #ClimateWeekNYC approaches, we’re thinking about the vulnerability of our global #foodsystem, and the critical role that climate adaptation financing can play in building agricultural communities’ resilience to climate impacts. 📈 Investing in adaptation for #agriculture is complicated, but it is possible. There are ample opportunities for a wide range of private investors. In partnership with AgFunder, we identified six investable pathways that can help #smallholder farmers adapt to climate change: https://lnkd.in/efGbJYDX 💰 To address the challenge at scale, we would like to see more catalytic capital directed to #adaptation #finance for agriculture. In partnership with USAID Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships we developed standardized selection criteria and impact metrics to help donors prioritize investments in adaptation-focused agriculture funds: https://lnkd.in/d35erRnD ✅ A more informed + proactive approach to managing #climate risk will enable financial service providers to develop products & services that support their clients’ adaptation needs. We mapped the landscape of digital solutions on both a global and market level that can support #risk management when serving clients in agriculture: https://lnkd.in/eQB5JSiD 💧 Irrigation can play a key role in developing agriculture and promoting #resilience, yet only 3-6% of cropland in Sub-Saharan Africa is irrigated. Innovative business models and technologies are emerging, but they have not scaled. We worked with Hystra to understand why, and outline a coordinated pathway to growth: https://lnkd.in/eGSJ-VMV 💡 Explore more ISF #research: https://lnkd.in/gspQvPtf Our Executive Director Dan Zook will be attending various #ClimateWeek events – reach out and connect to learn more.

Join us this Thursday at 9AM EST to discuss the role of climate adaptation financing in #agriculture with Climatelinks, Climate Policy Initiative, and USAID Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (USAID CFDA). We'll share actionable insights from our #research that can be leveraged to allocate resources more strategically towards #climateadaptation #investment opportunities with the most pressing needs. 📍 Register to join Thursday's discussion: https://lnkd.in/eQ66gpEs 💡 Read our Climate Adaptation Finance for Agriculture Donor & Investor Guidance: https://lnkd.in/d35erRnD

We're #hiring for a Strategy Associate to join our growing global team. We're looking for a self-motivated leader who passionate about leveraging #finance to address social and environmental issues in the global #foodsystem. Recent ISF Associates have developed #investment tools for food fortification, assessed emerging digital #agriculture platforms, analyzed a range of climate information services for banks, and backstopped transactional #advisory support for agro-industrialization opportunities in East Africa. Sound like a great fit for you or someone you know? Learn more about the position & apply here: https://lnkd.in/gC-T_dRp

Business-to-business (B2B) #agtechs are on the rise throughout the Global South, creating entirely new possibilities for clients working with #smallholder #farmers – from banks, to offtakers, to microfinance institutions (MFIs) and cooperatives. However, their growth trajectories have varied drastically, with some players achieving significant scale and others folding. In our latest blog, we examine the nuances behind these #B2B solutions and share our perspective on the #market trajectory over the coming years: https://lnkd.in/eipEf2Zz

There is no doubt that the #agtech ecosystem is rapidly maturing. This is demonstrated by both the number of solutions in the market and the influx of funding that has been invested. But while headline numbers signify a maturing ecosystem, the reality is that many actors, especially in the Global South, struggle to achieve product-market fit and scale. To unpack this, we facilitated a comparative #analysis between the agtech ecosystem and other ecosystems serving low and middle-income populations. Our latest blog takes a look at key drivers of #innovation ecosystems, the relative maturity of different countries, and best and worst-case scenarios for the future of agtech ecosystems in the Global South. 📌 Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eiD2dE47

We're #hiring for a Manager with experience in commercial banking, investment #banking, and/or private equity/debt in Sub-Saharan #Africa to join our growing global team. This role will lead all aspects of ISF's support to USAID AFFORD: a 5-year program promoting large-scale #food fortification in target countries and regions by fostering trust and collaboration between food processors, governments, and other stakeholders. USAID AFFORD works to ensure that food businesses have the technical assistance, #finance, and supportive ecosystem they need to integrate food fortification into their operations. A key area of the Manager's work will be to undertake country assessments aimed at identifying 1) public and private sector #investment needs related to fortification, and 2) opportunities to use financing tools to incentivize private and public investment in fortification-related activities. The Manager will lead the prioritization of potential interventions and its application, working in close coordination with the USAID AFFORD and ISF teams. Learn more about the role & apply today: https://lnkd.in/eR3fGjiW

🌱500 million smallholder farmers are disproportionately affected by food waste. Farmers in emerging markets lose up to 15% of income due to post-harvest loss, waste that also significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, but solutions that are cost-effective and sustainable can make drastic impact on food and income security while combatting the impacts of climate change. That's why Factor[e] Ventures, in collaboration with Shell Foundation, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, ISF Advisors, MicroSave Consulting (MSC), and AndMore Associates, LLC, is leading the Post-Harvest Loss Prize. The prize includes $50,000 in unrestricted funding and access to experienced industry leaders, media coverage, and post-investment support. Shell Foundation and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office aim to reduce post-harvest losses to increase farmer incomes in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. We are therefore seeking solutions that are scalable and cost-effective for smallholder farmers in these regions. If you have or know of an innovation that meets these criteria, then apply or nominate today! Applications close August 14, 2024. Finalists for the prize will be announced September 17, 2024. The winner of the Post-Harvest Loss Innovation Prize will be announced September 25, 2024. Learn more, and apply, here: https://lnkd.in/e2p4zAB8

Thank you to the 150+ participants who joined our discussion on climate adaptation finance for agriculture. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here: https://lnkd.in/eZjkTzXK Climate adaptation finance comprises only 5% of total climate #finance and falls far short of the estimated $387 billion per year needed for developing countries. This immense funding gap highlights the urgent need for more public and private investment in climate #adaptation to protect vulnerable communities, especially #smallholder farmers and #agriSMEs, from the worst impacts of climate change and build resilience to future #climate events. Our latest reports produced in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID Feed the Future, and AgFunder share actionable insights that can be leveraged to allocate resources more strategically towards climate adaptation #investment opportunities with the most pressing needs. 🌱 Investor landscape report: https://lnkd.in/e23a4ui2 🌱 Donor & investor guidance: https://lnkd.in/dnjc6eZu

Global conversations about #climate change increasingly emphasize the importance of climate adaptation alongside mitigation efforts. Despite this heightened awareness, climate #adaptation in #agriculture remains severely underfunded. With support from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID Feed the Future Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships and in partnership with AgFunder, we’re sharing actionable insights that can be leveraged to allocate resources more strategically towards climate adaptation #investment opportunities with the most pressing needs. 📌 Join the discussion on July 18: https://lnkd.in/egPYPmTF