NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

The Mastercard Foundation has announced the opening of an Expression of Interest (EOI) process to collaborate with prospective partners in bridging access to inclusive financial services for the Agriculture and Agric-adjacent sectors, to unlock work opportunities for young Ghanaian women and men.

Through the EOI process, the Foundation is seeking partnerships with organisations in four key areas, which it says are central to the delivery of its Young Africa Works strategy in Ghana, namely:

• Access to capital – to develop and implement innovative financial solutions for smallholder farmers, women-owned and youth-led agribusinesses, and to build the resilience of at risk and vulnerable people in the agriculture and adjacent value chains, including rural women;
• Technical assistance and capacity building – through the implementation of structured interventions, including business education, mentorship, and role modelling, build the capacity of young women and men in the sector. Focus areas to include financial literacy, access to finance, digital literacy, among others. The intervention will also seek to strengthen local cooperative groups to support women and youth;
• Access to market – through the development of structured systems, disseminate information about prices and market opportunities, and create virtual and physical marketplaces where producers and off takers can connect; and
• Ecosystem development – to increase access to financial services so low-income individuals, households, and small businesses can access and use appropriate financial services.