Supporting small businesses to access finance for COVID resilience
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many businesses, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the cocoa sector that provide critical services to smallholder farmers in Ghana. These small businesses, when provided with the needed support, play a vital role in improving the livelihoods of farmers through yield enhancements and market linkages.
Access to timely and affordable finance is, therefore, essential to fuel the growth of these enterprises during this pandemic.
Preparing SMEs for investment
Solidaridad, through its Cocoa Rehabilitation and Intensification Programme, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana, has been building the capacities of participating SMEs to roll out service delivery models, referred to as rural service centers under the programme.
Through an investment readiness support model, Solidaridad prepares these service centres for commercial funding to grow their businesses.