Feed the future Nigeria agribusiness investment activity : final performance evaluation report

The evaluation assessed efforts to improve the agribusiness-enabling environment, increase finance and investment, and ensure sustainability. The Activity"s success was greatly influenced by its strong alignment with the evolving needs and priorities of various stakeholders, including agribusiness firms, financial institutions (FIs), government agencies, and local communities. The evaluation team (ET) found that the Activity achieved significant results in terms of improved operational performance by agribusiness firms (AFs), farmers’ groups and commodity associations, and FIs through its technical assistance programs. The endeavors of the Activity in policy work have been extensive, stretching resources and attention across efforts, achieving expected results. Though most AFs interviewed have yet to access the needed finance for their business, they all commended the efforts of the Activity. Considering the fact that there was no provision of grants but only technical assistance, the results demonstrated some cases of success in improving access to finance. For subsequent interventions, the ET suggests refocusing efforts on addressing the central constraints hindering access to credit for agribusinesses, including ensuring a clear link between policy reforms and access to finance to optimize results.