Project Grow-CRS

'Project Grow' is a novel initiative in Cross River State driven by market dynamics to stimulate private sector investments in key agricultural value chains: rice, maize, aquaculture, cassava, and animal fodder. With the backing of a six-year Agricultural Development cash guarantee fund from the Cross River State Government, 'Project Grow' employs a Performance (P4P) approach to incentivize investments. “Project Grow” will facilitate these investments using a digital system to provide agricultural credit guarantees, enhancing market access, and improving product quality. The Goal for “Project Grow” is to facilitate NGN 150b ($193.0m) in agribusiness investment through 100,000 smallholder farmers (SHF) and 500 agribusinesses, of which 40% are expected to be women and Youth-owned businesses. Our primary target groups are; I. Unemployed or underemployed youths (18 – 35 years) and women who will be supported to establish agribusinesses, engaging in production, processing, and marketing of the priority commodities, through the lead–firm approach. 40000 women and youth are expected to be reached within six years. II. 60000 male smallholder farmers will also be supported within the period. III. 500 Agri-enterprises or MSMEs who will act as anchors/Lead firms. Our secondary target groups include; I. Downstream stakeholders, particularly processors linked to a large number of agribusinesses and aggregators. II. LGA extension agents/representatives and communities strengthened to manage the infrastructures/beneficiaries supported by the project sustainably III. Private sector operators strengthened to provide quality services as demanded by the agribusinesses and other smallholder farmers.