Call for Agro-Processing Blended Funding Proposals (South Africa)

The Gauteng Medium Term Development Plan 2025-2030, Agriculture and Agro-processing Masterplan together with the report on the localisation of manufacturing value chains, identified agro-processing as one of the 10 high growth sectors for enhanced support to contribute towards increased economic growth through the Department’s strategic priorities of commercialisation and sustainable job creation.

A systematic review furthermore revealed that the food and beverage sub-sector of agro-processing should be the main focal points for the Gauteng City Region to best support the localisation and the rebuilding of the manufacturing value chains. The prioritised sub-sectors for investment are:

• Processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables (Horticulture Value Chain);
• Processing and preservation of meat (Poultry, Piggery and Livestock Value Chains);
• Milling and manufacturing of grain mill products, starches, and starch products for human consumption and feed manufacturing (Grain Value Chains: Maize, Sun lower, Soyabeans Value chains) and
• Industrial Crops processing (hemp and essential oils).

It is against the above contextual background that the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) is calling for applications from enterprises which require support in the above-mentioned sub-sectors.

Qualifying enterprises would be supported through several instruments which include the agro-processing blended finance, linkage to Agri-BEE fund as well as agri-industrialisation fund and through direct procurement intervention by the Department, for selected equipment for smallholder agro-processors. Start-ups agro-processing enterprises with less than 3 years old will be enlisted on to the Business Incubation Supported Programme, implemented through partnerships with various incubators.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Enterprises Applying Must:
  • Be a registered legal entity in South Africa in terms of the Companies Act, 1973 (as amended) or the Companies Act, 2008 (as amended) or the Co-operatives Act, 2005 (as amended). CIPC documents must be submitted in this regard.
  • Owned by a South African citizen with a valid identity document. ID copy must be submitted.
  • Must submit proof of address of such an entity (e.g. municipal statement or deeds) or a valid minimum five-year lease agreement of the operating facilities
  • Must be a taxpayer in good standing unless they are exempted based on the South African Revenue Services (SARS) threshold. A copy of SARS registration must be submitted.
  • Be BBBEE compliant in terms of the B-BBEE codes and submit a valid B-BBEE certificate of compliance or affidavit.
  • For companies in operation, submit off-take agreements, certified copies of current invoice/s (Not older than three months).
  • In cases where the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate is necessary for the operations, evidence of such to be provided.
  • Excludes employees from all spheres of government and State-owned enterprises.

For more information, visit GDARD.