Injaro Agricultural Capital Holdings, an impact investment fund managed by Injaro Investments, has invested in Comptoir 2000, an indigenous producer of seeds in Mali.

Soumaila Diakité of Injaro Investments, said: “We will actively engage with the management team of Comptoir 2000 to support and enhance the operations of the company.”

“By supporting the growth stage of seed production companies, Injaro aims to develop a strong self-sustaining and profitable local seed industry that will continue to underpin long term agricultural growth even after Injaro has exited its investments.”

Founded in 1990 as a sole proprietorship, Comptoir 2000 started as a distributor of agro-inputs such as herbicides and pesticides.

Since 2000, the Company decided to expand its activities with the production and distribution of crop seeds at affordable prices to small-scale farmers in the rural areas throughout Mali.

Supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the Company has so far developed its own plantations and worked with a network of outgrowers as well.

Proceeds of the investment will be used to increase Comptoir 2000’s output of improved seeds and their accessibility to smallholder farmers in order to achieve improved farm yields in the country.

Issa Dembelé, Founder and Managing Director of Comptoir 2000, said: “We aim to increase our production whilst driving increased adoption of improved seeds among smallholder rural farmers. Comptoir 2000 will leverage the investment from Injaro to finance increased production of improved seed varieties, to expand its distribution network and to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.”

“The very first moves of the partnership with Injaro have been the review of our organisational structure and governance improvements prior to the signing of the agreement. We are confident that the financing and operational support from Injaro, its technical assistance facility and rich experience along West Africa’s agricultural value chain will greatly improve our future prospects,” he said.

This is the ninth Injaro portfolio company along the agricultural value chain and the second investment in Mali’s agricultural sector.

Dadié Tayoraud, Director at Injaro Investments, said: “We believe that this investment will improve the probability of impacting significant numbers of people including rural smallholder farmers whilst generating a good return for our investors.”

“We are particularly enthusiastic about increasing agricultural yields, especially for the staple crops critical to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, which will be a major contributor towards poverty alleviation and long term improvement in Mali and West Africa’s food security.”