General

It will strengthen the capacity of existing semi-formal and informal land dispute mechanisms to facilitate resolution of land disputes in a more transparent and inclusive manner.

Objectives

This project will be implemented in Baidoa district, Bay region and is designed to meet the needs of both IDPS (70%) and poor host communities (30%) . NRC will select extremely vulnerable individuals (EVIs) through a predetermined beneficiary selection criteria and construct 270 transitional (Caarish) Shelters, with mud plastered walling along with local sticks and CGI roofing, which is culturally acceptable and most appropriate shelter typology in Baidoa. The shelters will be constructed through community driven approach and NRC will provide the beneficiaries with conditional cash to construct their shelters. NRC will cover the cost of skilled and unskilled labourers who will be engaged by the beneficiaries during the construction. Caarish shelter is a new typology in Baidao however similar designs are acceptable to beneficiaries. In order to progressively ensure ownership, NRC will start construction with piloting 20 Caarish shelters (size: 4m x 3m) and will take feedback from community and local authorities on the appropriateness. If these designs are found acceptable then construction will be expanded to include an additional 250 shelters otherwise if not found acceptable then the typology will be changed to typical transitional CGI shelters. Both the Caarish and the CGI shelters cost the same, though the Caarish are considered cooler and thus environmental more acceptable to the beneficiaries. A change in the typology type will therefore not mean any budgetary changes. NRC will also distribute household solar lamps to the same beneficiaries. NRC will as part of the planning process for this project ensure that the ICLA program supports the shelter component in obtaining secure land tenure for all the beneficiaries. As a result consultation with the local administration at the onset will be initiated to ensure that the appropriate documents for the land is provided by the local authorities as a means to securing a legally acceptable land tenure arrangement for the beneficiaries. Each household will be provided with a lease agreement document endorsed and recognized by the local authorities. To make the shelter support wholesome in line with the intention to ensure that each of the beneficiaries feels better protected as a result of this service, each of the beneficiaries will also be provided with a household solar lamp for use in lighting. Settlement planning training will also be incorporated in the project to ensure proper layout of the shelters and to provide necessary space for other facilities like WASH, Education etc. NRC will also mainstream the protection issues during the whole project life. The project principle objective is: Vulnerable displacement-affected populations in Somalia, including the hard to reach, have adequate physical protection, safety and privacy, and improved access to basic services through construction of culturally appropriate transitioal shelters. The project shall provide 270 households in Baidoa (approximately 1,620 beneficiaries) with housing ensuring that the type of housing improves their privacy, physical protection and dignity. The activities that will be implemented to ensure the delivery of the shelters shall be: Site Planning and building of communal infrastructure, land tenure consultations, cash transfers and all-inclusive community consultations. The owner driven construction approach shall be applied in the delivery of shelters, to ensure speed and timely completion of works , good quality , savings on purchases , comprehensive beneficiary participation and their capacity building.

Objectives

Support the consolidation and scaling up of innovative Agtech early-stage companies (SMEs) that will develop technologies to offer productivity, market, and environmental solutions for the agricultural sector in Latin America especially to the Small and Medium Sized Farmers to generate environmental benefits related to climate change, land degradation, and chemicals and waste.

Other

Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency.

Target Groups

?AgVentures II, as the first regional AgTech fund dedicated exclusively to Latin America, will capitalize on the proven experience and rich knowledge gathered by AgVentures I, which had a more specific geographic focus (Brazil and Argentina). As a regional vehicle, AgVentures is expected to have direct and indirect environmental, social and economic benefits for the region and its population. AgVentures’direct benefits include increased incomes, livelihoods, and productivity for vulnerable populations and executive positions for women in the region. Meanwhile, AgVentures will have even broader indirect effects by increasing employment opportunities and reducing the intensity of natural resource use. AgVentures primarily targets small and medium size farmers (SMSFs) both at the level of the farm and along agricultural value chains. It is estimated conservatively that about 55 to 73 thousand small and medium-sized farms (SMSFs) and 500 to 735 thousand people in vulnerable socioeconomic conditions in rural settings may benefit from the innovations introduced by startups financed by the Fund[1]. These AgTech innovations include recent advances in digital technologies (e.g. data analytics, big data, remote imagery and satellites, internet of things, artificial and augmented intelligence and blockchain), life sciences (e.g. advanced genomics, biotech) and automation (e.g. robotics, precise sensors). Agtech solutions have the potential to generate high impact to vulnerable rural populations and the environment both along the agricultural value chains, by introducing (low-carbon) solutions that enhance the access of SMSFs to markets, raise transparency and price conditions and, at the level of the farm, by improving livelihoods. The AgVentures II Fund also generates environmental benefits by investing in companies that help substitute and/or mitigate the use of harmful substances; and optimize food and equipment production and distribution, reducing natural resource consumption. The startups financed by the Fund will develop innovative solutions that decrease the intensity of use of natural resources in agricultural production (especially water, energy and land), enabling climate mitigation strategies in high carbon-intensive agriculture segments. Depending on the use of different technologies, companies invested by the Fund could also generate additional environmental/ climate benefits related to increasing climate resilience of SMSFs, including through water use conservation and optimization, and to reducing food waste. Additionally, SP Ventures has been a driving force of women entrepreneurship in agriculture. Having built a diverse portfolio, with 30% of women founders and 15% women founder CEOs (part of AgVentures I), the firm is a leader in this regard. For AgVentures II, SP Ventures is expected to continue applying a gender lens investment approach by identifying companies eligible for investment with more diverse teams, promoting the professional development of women in agtech and raising profiles of women entrepreneurs through widely disseminated media and events. As part of the result matrix agreed with the IDB Lab, the Fund aims to have, by the end of its Investment Period, 30% of its portfolio companies with at least one woman founder, co-founder or occupying C-level positions. Additionally, the Fund has 2 additional indicators related to beneficiaries/gender that once the Fund is in operations it would start reporting on a disaggregated basis by gender. These 2 indicators are: (a) number of people in rural areas estimated to benefit from Agtech solutions provided by portfolio companies (targets: by Year 4 = 84,000 people and by Year 10 = 735,000), and (b) Number of direct and indirect net jobs created by portfolio companies (targets: by Year 4 = 450 jobs, and by Year 10 = 1,050 jobs). Given the Fund’s investment focus, (the General Partner (also referred as Fund manager), has identified three main areas in which the technologies and/or companies part of the investment portfolio would have a direct or indirect environmental impact. Such areas are, but not limited to, the following: Chemicals and Waste § Reduced risks on human health and the environment through reducing and eliminating production, use and releases of Persistent Organic Pollutants and their waste; § Reduced risks on human health and the environment through sound management of chemicals and waste of global concern. Land Degradation § Improved provision of agro-ecosystem and forest ecosystem goods and services; § Mitigated/avoided greenhouse gas emissions and increased carbon sequestration in production landscapes; § Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in productive landscapes; Climate Change Mitigation § Mitigated GHG emissions; § Increased adoption of innovative technologies and management practices for GHG emission reduction and carbon sequestration; § Conservation and enhanced carbon stocks in agriculture, forest, and other land use; Additional Environmental Benefits In addition to the expected Global Environmental Benefits, described above, it is estimated that the Fund, as an AgTech investor, could have additional environmental benefits as indicated below. It is important to note that the project, adopting a conservative approach, has not set targets with respect to these benefits (as their generation very strongly depends on the exact Agtech solutions that will be supported by the AgVentures II), but will track these additional benefits during implementation of the project through its E&S monitoring tool. a) Climate Change - Technologies can help farmers adapt to climate change § Weather data and information technologies § Genetic technologies § Biological seed treatments and soil amendments § Indoor agriculture b) Water: Technologies focusing on conserving and optimizing the use of water § Water management technologies § Irrigation technologies c) Food Waste: Technologies that can help reduce, avoid or repurpose waste § Post-harvest technologies § Waste repurposing technologies d) Farmer Welfare and Smallholder Empowerment § Farm Management System § Content, Education and Social Media [1] These targets were incorporated in the Results Matrix. Such estimation followed conservative assumptions based on existing startups in the agtech segment and those previously invested by SP Ventures.