Agricultural Commercialization Innovation Fund Matching Grants Programme (Malawi)

The ACIF will specifically give priority to interventions that bring sustainable innovations to the value chain development of targeted commodities, create sustainable market linkages for the smallholder producers, increase production and productivity, incomes, and resilience of targeted commodities through Climate Smart Interventions (Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)/Natural Resources Management (NRM), foster entrepreneurship and vertical diversification by smallholder farmers, value chain investments that empower women, youth, and other marginalized and vulnerable groups, and value chain investments that adhere to IFAD’s Social, Environmental and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP).

The ACIF Matching Grants – Small Grants Window supports registered farmer groups and cooperatives with project funding up to USD 100,000 under a matching concept, where the TRADE Programme contributes a maximum of 70% of the project cost and the applicant contributes 30%, including a mandatory 10% cash contribution going directly to the cost of the project. This initiative is designed to accelerate the agricultural commercialization agenda by enabling farmer organizations to invest in innovative value chain interventions.

The Women and Youth Window supports registered women and youth-owned agricultural businesses and cooperatives for projects up to USD 150,000, where the TRADE Programme contributes up to 80% of project costs and applicants provide 20%, consisting of a 5% mandatory cash contribution and 15% in-kind contribution. This window promotes entrepreneurship, inclusive growth, and participation of marginalized groups in agricultural value chains.

Eligible applicants include cooperatives, farmer organizations, and women and youth-owned agricultural businesses operating in the targeted commodities and areas defined by the TRADE Programme.

For more information, visit Agriculture Commercialization Innovation Fund.