The GrowBeyond Fund is the most innovative and ambitious of Grow Asia’s Public-Private impact funds and includes the ASEAN Sustainable Agriculture Loan Facility (ASALF)
Grow Asia, a leading multi-stakeholder platform focused on building more resilient, and sustainable food systems has unveiled its largest impact fund, which includes a first-of-its-kind blended loan facility targeted at small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Launched at this year’s Grow Asia Investment Forum, the GrowBeyond Fund is designed to leverage up to $1 billion of climate finance through a public-private blended financing model.
The new fund will unlock inclusive finance for small agri-businesses over the next 10 years, targeting the 70+ million SMEs in Southeast Asia that lie at the forefront of the climate crisis. With the agri-food industry producing more than 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the fund will prioritize investments in climate-smart agriculture, regenerative practices, and innovative technologies, addressing the pressing climate challenges faced by farmers and rural communities in Southeast Asia.
The GrowBeyond Fund is the most innovative and ambitious of Grow Asia’s Public-Private impact funds and includes the ASEAN Sustainable Agriculture Loan Facility (ASALF), which will address the current fragmentation of climate finance. By consolidating strategic investments from governments, financial institutions, private investors, fintech/agritech companies, alongside technical assistance providers, Grow Asia will deliver a comprehensive suite of crop-specific financial and market services that are required for SMEs to scale their businesses and adopt regenerative practices.
Over the next ten years, the fund aims to support over 200,000 farmers in accessing suitable financial products and technical assistance. Through these investments, it is estimated that each farm will see an increase in productivity of between 20% and 30%, and a corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30%.
