EGYPT: ‘Unbearable Pressure’

merchandising and processing, supply chain optimisation, digital transformation, and energy.This package includes a $65m participation from the Bank's own resources, along with $10m in concessional cofinancing from the Agri-Food Catalytic Financing Mechanism (ACFM) into ETGs Sustainable Linked Loan facility for financing its core value chain assets.The Agri-Food Catalytic Financing Mechanism is an internally managed Special Fund, capitalised by Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, to build markets and mobilise finance for gender-oriented and underserved agri-SMEs in Africa.Through participation in the Sustainable Linked Loan facility, the financing will be deployed to ETG's core value chains in 14 countries, namely Benin, Cte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.This will support ETG's processing and packaging facilities and warehouses and provide farmers with fertilisers and other agri-inputs.The Bank's financing may be deployed to up to 28 African countries based on ETG's emerging needs.The facility establishes annual sustainability key performance indicators and targets focused on decarbonisation, reforestation, zero deforestation, farmer extension services, and gender empowerment with inherent direct financial consequences for non-compliance.ETG plans to engage 600,000 smallholder farmers by 2027, with a 25% target for women farmers.This includes training on sustainable farming and improved access to resources.The project is expected to boost exports from Bank regional member countries and enhance intra-regional trade, particularly within the Economic Community of West African States (ECO-