AgriGRADE

Join us for an exclusive @AgriGRADE webinar on October 29th (tomorrow!), 15:30 - 16:30 CET Why Professionalism Matters: Unlocking the Potential of Farmer Organizations. Follow this link to register: https://lnkd.in/esbd9MnK Hope to see you tomorrow!

🌱 Strategic Transformation in Agriculture is key to addressing modern challenges like climate change and food security. 🌾 AgriGRADE Director, Cees van Rij, MBA has called for a strategic shift in agricultural practices at the 18th International Co-operative Alliance Asia Pacific Research Conference held at the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode on Thursday. His insights highlight the urgency of adapting sustainable farming methods to build climate resilience and food security in India. Cees' vision for this strategic change aligns with our efforts to professionalize the cooperative sector worldwide. 📈🌍 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e8Vh8rGx #agriculture #cooperatives #sustainability #climateresilience #foodsecurity #agribusiness

🌱 To all food system enthusiasts, farmer fanatics, and those who think farmer organizations are a relic of the past—this one's for you! 🌱 Why Professionalism Matters: Unlocking the Potential of Farmer Organizations Join us for an exclusive @AgriGRADE webinar on October 29th, 2024, from 15:30 to 16:30 CET to explore the crucial role of professionalizing Farmer Organizations (FOs) in emerging economies. Discover how this transformation is the cornerstone of sustainable agricultural development. Key Highlights: ✅ Discover how professionalizing FOs enhances market access, resilience, and investment appeal. ✅ Learn about AgriGRADE’s systematic five-step approach, tailored to the unique needs of each FO, ensuring measurable success. ✅ Explore how FO segmentation enables targeted support, improving access to finance, governance, and modern agricultural practices. Who Should Attend? This webinar is tailored for agricultural development professionals, cooperative leaders, financial institutions, and policy makers dedicated to empowering rural economies through FO professionalization. 📌 See the comment section for the link to the article on AgriGRADE's five-step approach. You’ll also find the pre-registration link there! #Agriculture #SustainableDevelopment #FarmerOrganizations #AgriGRADE #RuralEconomies #Webinar #AgricultureFinance #Professionalization #Cooperatives Agriterra IDH Oikocredit SCOPEinsight 360 Connect Co Ltd Sundy Merchants Co. Ltd Africa Turnaround Limited [ATL] Policy and Market options (PMO)

I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification: Certificate Certified Assessor from SCOPEinsight As a Certified Assessor with SCOPEinsight, I can assess Farmers Organizations (FOs) to identify opportunities, strengths, weaknesses, and capacity-building needs. Professionally managed FOs improve members' livelihoods by enhancing access to markets, financial services, and technology. SCOPEinsight, based in the Netherlands, measures FOs' management maturity and professionalism, aiming to make agribusinesses more profitable, sustainable, and market linked. #FOs #Assessments #SCOPEinsight #AgriGRADE #SuistainableEcosystem #SundyMerchants

After eleven remarkable years at SCOPEinsight, we are bidding farewell to Marise Blom, whose contributions have been nothing short of transformative. Marise has been a driving force behind our development and growth.   As a true force of nature, she has been the trusted advisor for many of our clients and has managed numerous projects with dedication and expertise. Marise's impact is felt in every corner of SCOPEinsight, from her pioneering work on our various assessment tools to spearheading the bankability metrics we use today. We are particularly proud of her contributions to the development and establishment of AgriGRADE, all five founding partners in general, and for SCOPEinsight in particular. For many years, she also served as a team manager, guiding and supporting the team with her leadership. On a more personal note, Marise has been my trusted support and coach, always offering valuable insights, guidance, feedback, and pushback when necessary.   As SCOPEinsight embarks on a new chapter with AgriGRADE, we recognize that this is a fitting moment for her to take the next step in her journey. Cees van Rij, MBA, AgriGRADE director, will be stepping into the management team, and Marise will gradually transition her responsibilities over the coming months. We will come together later this year to formally celebrate her contributions and wish her well.   For now, we extend our deepest gratitude to Marise for all she has done and wish her every success in her next adventure. Lucas Simons #leadership #agribusiness #farewell

AFS Forum was a wrap 🌍🌱 Last week at the AFS Forum 2024 in #Kigali, we joined partners, colleagues, and stakeholders to drive meaningful change for Africa’s food systems. Under the theme “Innovate, Accelerate, Scale,” we explored new pathways to create a sustainable and resilient agricultural future across the continent. The session "Food Systems Transformation in Action" showcased how the private sector, working alongside governments, NGOs, and local communities, is crucial in transforming Africa’s food systems. We explored actionable innovations and interventions driving progress on the ground, ranging from strengthening agri-SMEs to implementing inclusive business models that support smallholder farmers.  Data-driven approaches took centre stage, we explored how leveraging data can optimize supply chains, increase food security, and foster sustainable, market-driven solutions. Together with the World Economic Forum, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Boomitra, Clim-Eat, Development Gateway: An IREX Venture, FAO, International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), NTT DATA, and Welthungerhilfe (WHH), we took deep dives into Soil Health Innovations. Robert Asugre, IDH Ghana Country Director, emphasised how multi-stakeholder partnerships and market incentives can accelerate soil health actions and support resilient food systems. With partners like AfriCatalyst, Millennium Challenge Corporation, African Development Bank Group, National Agriculture Export Development Board of Rwanda, Partners in Food Solutions, and the East Africa Grain Council, NIRERE Sylvie, IDH Rwanda Country Manager shared our experiences in cold chain infrastructure through the HortInvest project and proof-of-concept avocado shipments. Together, we shared how innovative infrastructure can be scaled to transform Africa’s food systems. We also joined the "AgriGRADE—A New Partnership Modality" event, where we showcased how collaboration and data-driven decision-making can professionalize rural organisations and strengthen value chains. Together with SCOPEinsight, Agriterra, FarmFit Fund, and Oikocredit, we invited new partners to join the AgriGRADE initiative and co-create solutions for scalable rural development. This success was possible thanks to the active participation and shared commitment of all partners involved, and the ideas shared are just the beginning. By leveraging our collective expertise and resources, we can scale innovations, improve collaboration, and build sustainable, inclusive food systems that benefit people, the planet and progress. Eniola Fabusoro Mascha Middelbeek Carolijn Gommans Charlotte Keijser, PhD Juan Carlo Intriago Zambrano Ben Horsbrugh Sharon W. Barasa Serge Ndayitabi Azul Cappo #AFS2024 #FoodSystemsTransformation #SoilHealth #IDH #AgriSMEs

Blog Day 4 AFS Forum Today was a day to shine for AgriGRADE, and we did just that! At the invitation of Daniel Gies from Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), we had the opportunity to present ourselves to the AFS audience in the Rwanda Pavilion. The stage was small, But fortunately, the audience's interest was high. During the Q&A some very nice to the point questions were asked, e.g. about pricing (it requires investment, but due to efficiency gains it pays off) , if private companies can be engaged (yes). And a processor in Tanzania needs to improve the performance of farmers' organizations in the supply chain and asked how the AgriGRADE approach could assist with that. In the afternoon, it was great to meet Katja Vuori, CEO of AgriCord vzw and Philipp Conze-Roos of Andreas Hermes Akademie, AgriCord member. It was a bit of a walk down memory lane, as it brought back memories of the AgriCORD AGM in 2019 in Rotterdam. According to Katja the best AgriCord AGM event ever! This reminded me of the farm stay we organized as part of the program and made me think: wouldn’t it be a brilliant idea for next years AFS (most probably held in Uganda) to connect the forum bubble with real farm life through a farm stay? Imagine couples of 2 forum participants spending a night and half a day with a farmer in the vicinity. I admit, with over 5000 conference participants, this could be a logistical challenge, but the AFS organizers could offer it as an optional activity for those who want to create a tangible link with practice. I promise: guaranteed success! 😊 Ah, we also discussed possibilities for collaboration between Agricord and AgriGRADE. To be continued! The day had a touch of nostalgia overall, as I was invited by former colleagues to visit the Agriterra office in Kigali. It was great to see that Agriterra is doing well in Rwanda and is widely recognized as a cooperative expert. And to feel the excitement of the team about the AgriGRADE approach. Later, a bus brought us to the residence of the Dutch Ambassador to Rwanda, Mrs. Joan Wiegman, for a networking cocktail. It’s wonderful to see how well the Netherlands is represented in Rwanda and how well the network of Dutch organizations and companies has developed in Rwanda. E.g. I talked to Gerald Muzungu, MD of Spices Rwanda Ltd.. A company, with a Dutch owner, that buys chilies directly from farmers and farmers' organizations, dries and markets them. A fitting end to a pretty spicy day :-). Asante sana! Agriterra IDH Oikocredit SCOPEinsight 360 Connect Co Ltd #letsagrigrade UMUKUNZI Marine Curtis Musembi Catherine Ndirangu Carolijn Gommans Marise Blom Justine Mucyo Hance Njobelo

🌍 Excited to attend the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFS) in Kigali, Rwanda, next week! From what I've been told, this is the Nr 1 event for stakeholders in agriculture and food sectors across Africa with the aim to explore sustainable solutions for food security and foster collaboration. It will be the first time for me to take part in the AFS Forum and it reminds me of a concern once expressed by Young Expert Kathelijne van Hoeven, who, after yet another conference on food security, wondered whether African farmers are actually benefiting from all the talking about agripreneurs, innovation, etc. A valid question, in my view! So let's see how it will be at the AFS Forum next week. And I certainly hope to speak with some farmers—the people who grow our daily food 🙂. At the invitation of Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), AgriGRADE, together with its partners, is organizing an interactive side event about AgriGRADE as a collaboration platform that creates smooth linkages between different solution providers to professionalize farmer organizations/cooperatives and connect them to finance and markets—all based on data, clear roles, and clear incentives for everyone involved. With AgriGRADE, the burden of collaboration is reduced, and better results are achieved with fewer resources. More information on the event will follow and my aim is to keep you updated on my experiences through daily blog posts. And if you happen to be in Kigali too and are up for a good and cheerful conversation… Let's AgriGRADE! IDH Agriterra Oikocredit SCOPEinsight Africa Turnaround Limited Sundy Merchants Co. Ltd 360 Connect Co Ltd Policy and Market options (PMO) Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken

We’re thrilled to invite you to the launch of the game-changing SACCO tool! Created in partnership with A Glimmer of Hope, Self Help Africa, SCOPEinsight, and backed by AMEA (Agribusiness Market Ecosystem Alliance), this tool is set to transform the way we assess Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs). These SACCOs are the unsung heroes of financial services in rural areas, stepping in where traditional banks fall short. By empowering these cooperatives, we’re not just providing financial services—we’re fueling income generation and tackling poverty head-on. Why Should You Join? 👉 Discover the essential elements for evaluating SACCO professionalism. 👉 Learn from real-world pilots of the SACCO tool—hear the lessons and insights straight from the field. 👉 Experience a live demo of the Business Intelligence Platform designed for the SACCO tool. 👉 Be inspired by how this tool can drive impact and benefit a wide range of stakeholders. Webinar: 🗓️ Date: August 27th, 2024 ⏰ Time: 14:00 CET / 15:00 EAT ⏳ Duration: 1 hour Ready to be part of something impactful? Click here: https://lnkd.in/g2_6ezA3 to confirm your attendance and secure your spot! We can’t wait to see you there! #SACCO #financialinclusion #microfinance #cooperatives #ruraldevelopment #webinar #socialimpact #financialempowerment #innovation #povertyalleviation #businessintelligence #digitaltransformation #communitydevelopment

Let's collaborate. Let's AgriGRADE! Last week, as founding partners of AgriGRADE (Agriterra, IDH, SCOPEinsight, Oikocredit), we met in person for the first time in Meru, #Kenya. Like the previous week in Tanzania, our main activities included team building, meeting with our client (the cooperative dairy Meru Central Dairy Union - MCDU), segmenting its affiliated cooperatives, and discussing AgriGRADE's data-driven approach and planning of activities. We visited MCDU, a dairy company owned by dairy farmers that sources milk from 146 cooperatives and farmer groups. The last time I visited MCDU was in 2012, when it was a company in dire crisis. Thanks to decisive leadership, support from key programs (including SNV/KMDP, 2SCALE, Agriterra), and “farmer common sense”, the company has risen to become the third-largest dairy in Kenya. The union provides employment to 1,217 people and has over 123,000 members in total. Impressive numbers! MCDU has bold ambitions: increase their processing capacity from 500,000 liters to 1 million liters per day, with most of the growth coming from higher productivity per cow. Achieving this requires significant efforts in areas like quality improvement, investment in fodder production, and optimizing the supply chain, including the costs of collection and processing. It also demands substantial investment in the factory and at the cooperative collection centers, adressing challenges in cooling capacity, infrastructure, and sanitation. What can the AgriGRADE pilot do for Meru Central Dairy Union? The market is not the issue; there is plenty of demand. Growth can only occur through the professionalization of the cooperatives, ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of quality milk. Strengthening cooperatives goes hand in hand with optimizing the supply chain and accessing financing for the necessary investments both in the factory and at the cooperatives. The approach is to do this collectively, the AgriGRADE way, i.e., systemically, scalable, and data-driven, using the state-of-the-art services and tools from our partners. Ultimately, an idea to consider, is to integrate the AgriGRADE Intelligence Center into the union's business model as a tool to continuously monitor and strengthen the cooperatives. The formal launch of AgriGRADE, with all key dairy stakeholders in Kenya, was scheduled for July 4th in Nairobi. Understandably, this could not take place due to the wave of protests sweeping through Kenya. Through our work, we stand with Kenya, and hopefully, we can organize a wonderful AgriGRADE event later this year with the motto: Let's collaborate. Let's AgriGRADE! @Farmfit Fund, Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken Cindy Van Den Boom Agnes Janszen Marco Schouten Tony Bruggink Hans Perk Marise Blom Lucas Simons Roel Messie Geoffrey M. Mascha Middelbeek Bertine Schieven Moses Ogenche Janet Macharia