The role ofour Smallholder Development Unit (SDU)is to support our investees with this initial investment through managing and funding the following activities:

Designing smallholder schemes,including conducting background studies and defining the core components of the scheme (e.g. structure, participants, commercial terms);

Assisting enterprises in rolling out the schemes,including funding the initial operational costs of the schemes until they have achieved sufficient scale to be sustainable (e.g. salaries and equipment);

Supporting enterprises in running demonstration plots and training programmesfor farmers to improve agronomic techniques, demonstrating benefits of modern inputs and trialling new technologies (e.g. mobile technologies, micro-insurance); and

Providing technical assistanceto develop information technology systems to manage outgrower schemes and track their impacts.
Whilst we expect these schemes to cover their costs once up and running, the Smallholder Development Unit will provide grant funding and expertise in the initial design, launch and roll-out of smallholder programmes.