Root Capital's mission is to invest in agricultural businesses in Africa and Latin America to grow rural prosperity and sustainable livelihoods. They focus on the "rural missing middle" - agricultural small and medium enterprises that are too large for microfinance but have trouble accessing credit. Their three-pronged strategy includes lending to cooperatives and small/medium agricultural businesses, building their capacity, and developing strategic partnerships. Their lending has grown annually since 2007 in Africa to strengthen food security and nutrition by financing businesses along agricultural value chains.

2. Mission
Root Capital’s mission is to grow rural prosperity by
investing in agricultural businesses that build
sustainable livelihoods in Africa and Latin America.

3. The Rural Missing Middle

4. %
Source: SCOPEinsight, “Mainstream Agrifinance: Enable producer organizations to invest their way out of poverty.” Compliments of AGRA: CIA - world-fact
book, Central bank of Congo, Central bank of Nigeria, Central bank of Kenya, Central bank of South Africa; BCEAO – Annual Report 2008
Capital Constraints on African Agriculture

5. Three-Pronged Strategy

6. Root Capital Performance

7. Africa Team & Geographic Focus

8. -
5
10
15
20
25
30
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
AnnualDisbursements,USD Annual Lending Growth, Africa

9. Food Security & Nutrition Portfolio
New lending window for Root Capital, financing SMEs all along domestic
and regional agri-food value chains. This will deepen our impact:
•Impact for Rural and Agricultural SMEs
• Impact on Smallholder Farmers as Producers
• Impact on Smallholder Farmers as Input Consumers
• Impact on Low-income Africans as Food Consumers

10. Inputs
Seeds & Plant Material
Soil Health
Pest Control
Irrigation
Machinery
Crop Insurance
Production
Smallholder Farmers
Nucleus Farmers/
Out Growers
Farming Cooperatives
SME Farmers
Large-Scale Commercial
Farmers
PH-Handling &
Processing
Granaries
Warehousing
Agro-Processing
Distribution
Wholesalers
Franchisors
Traders
Exporters
Value Chain for Staple Crops and Inputs

11. Contact Us:
• Barbara Ghansah, Ghana loan officer
bghansah@rootcapital.org
• Diaka Sall, West Africa Credit Manager, Dakar
dsall@rootcapital.org
• Nate Schaffran, Africa Regional VP, Nairobi
nschaffran@rootcapital.org