Return on investment analysis of private sector facilitation funds for Rwandan agribusinesses
Description:... This study analyzes the return on investment for an agribusiness facilitation fund implemented in Rwanda. Combining project monitoring data with supplementary surveys and interviews of recipient agribusinesses, we find a positive return on investment in terms of farmer income generated per dollar spent by the US government. To determine the commercial viability of the investments, we estimate the payback period and find the median time it will take a firm to recoup the entire investment through profits is 3.7 years. We estimate the net present value of the entire fund portfolio to be $12.5 million. These estimates rely on conservative assumptions and likely underrepresent the profitability of the investments. Given the positive returns and commercial viability of the agribusinesses, we examine the fund’s role as a first step to “graduate” firms toward investment readiness. Although three firms did access equity investment, we find that the majority of the businesses in the portfolio do not meet investor requirements for deal size and management capacity and are more appropriately financed by commercial lenders. We conclude with recommendations for the implementation and measurement of similar funds.
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