Originally published by Trade Hub Communications

Representatives from Malian and regional associations attended a West Africa Trade Hub training and coaching in financing for agribusinesses on February 20, 2017 in Bamako. Ms. Diallo (center front) explained that this training helped her understand what information the agricultural producers she works with need before they can gain access to formal financing—notably a business plan and financial records.

Photo credit: Ms. Rebecca Weaver, Trade Hub

Ms. Diallo was among 20 representatives from Malian and West African regional organizations—all members of the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Feed the Future network—to receive Trade Hub training and coaching in financing for agribusinesses. Banyan Global’s Jean Francois Guay led this training, which provided new information about how agribusinesses can access financing from formal financial institutions. To deliver this training, the Trade Hub teamed with USAID/Mali’s Finance for Food Security and Women Entrepreneurs Program (FFSWE). FFSWE invited representatives from USAID’s Mali Investment Facilitation Platform and Livestock for Growth projects, as well as other USAID implementing partners.

“This kind of training is very important to us,” Ms. Diallo said. “This training helps us link agricultural producers to financial organizations and also gives us the information about the financial information they need to provide to the banks in their loan applications.” Through trainings like this one, the Trade Hub supports USAID partners to expand financing opportunities for small West African agribusinesses.

Banyan Global is a subcontractor to Abt Associates on the West Africa Trade Hub Project.