About the Project

The Rural Entrepreneurship Financing Project (REFP) is a six-year initiative with a total budget of USD 72.5 million, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with USD 62.1 million, the Government of Mozambique with USD 4.3 million, the Private Sector with USD 5 million, and Beneficiaries with USD 1.2 million. The lead implementing agency is the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through the National Directorate of Local Economic Development, which has established a National Unit and three Regional Units located in the cities of Xai-Xai, Manica, and Nampula, to address the Southern, Central, and Northern regions.

The goal of the REFP project is to contribute to improving the living conditions of rural households. The project’s development objective is to increase the accessibility and utilization of adapted (appropriate, accessible, and innovative), inclusive, and sustainable financial services, as well as technical support services in rural areas. The development objective of the project will be achieved through the implementation of the following technical components: a) Component 1: improvement of access and use of rural financial services, and b) Component 2: empowerment and support for essential local institutions and rural enterprises. In this process, the project aims to enhance the living conditions of 259,000 direct beneficiaries.

Meet the project team

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Rufino Duvane

National Project Coordinator

Learn about the project's progress following the categories below

Business Development Support This sub-component will be implemented through a range of business development support services for rural and disadvantaged women and young people. Small farmers and fishermen and rural micro and small… 0

Component 1: Improving Access to Rural Financial Services This component offers a menu of alternative financing instruments, adapted to the different capacities and financial requirements of small farmers and fishermen and rural agricultural businesses, non-agricultural businesses, agri-entrepreneurs and… 1

Component 2: Training and Support for Financial Institutions and Rural Enterprises This component will provide training for rural agricultural and non-agricultural entrepreneurs and support for institutions working with rural and non-agricultural entrepreneurs. The activities will be complementary to those of component… 1

Credit line This subcomponent is directly linked to subcomponent 1.1 and involves the establishment of a credit line that will act as a conventional financing and refinancing mechanism between financial institutions and… 1

Graduation and Innovation Expansion accelerate the processes of (i) transitioning the very poor to a level where they are creditworthy and can be integrated into available rural financial services; and (ii) innovating digital financial… 2

Support for Local Essential Institutions aims to provide capacity-building support to banks, MEF, WB, micro-finance institutions, credit institutions and ASCAs, so that they can expand their activities in rural areas and meet the financial needs… 0

The Investment Mobilisation Fund will offer tripartite cost-sharing through a co-funding grant mechanism to allow credit solicitors with bankable proposals who are unable to attract full private sector funding to access partial funding through… 0