Our investment
Description of the investment.
Description of the investment.
We committed $20 million to Robust International, a trader of agri-commodities. This will support Robust to buy sesame and cashew nuts directly from cooperatives and farmers locally, as well as support operations and jobs at its new processing facilities in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mozambique. It is expected to support over 1,100 jobs at the processing facilities and up to 600,000 smallholder farmers to improve their incomes. Our commitment is part of a $105 million facility in collaboration with FMO, Proparco, Swedfund and ILX.
Impact information
Applies to investments made from 2019 onwards. The tabs in this section define what we expect to achieve through the investment, assessing the potential impact of the investment against six dimensions of impact. You can find more details on our methodology of assessing impact here.
Applies to investments made from 2019 onwards. The tabs in this section define what we expect to achieve through the investment, assessing the potential impact of the investment against six dimensions of impact. You can find more details on our methodology of assessing impact here.
What?
| Impact |
|---|
Support local employment and in-country value addition through increased processing activity (SDG 8.5, 9.2). Support improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers through increased income-generating opportunities (SDG8.5). |
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How?
| Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|
|
Provide working capital to finance the sourcing of sesame and cashew for processing at Robust’s new facilities in Mozambique, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire. |
Act as an economic enabler by generating foreign currency given sesame and cashew are export crops sold in USD. |
Who?
| Stakeholder | Geography | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Employees |
Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire |
The sesame hulling plants in Burkina Faso and Mozambique will be the first in both countries. There is a disproportionately high representation of women among the cashew processing workforce (over 75 per cent). 85 per cent of all roles in the processing plants are either semi-skilled or skilled. |
| Suppliers (smallholder farmers) |
Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire |
Cashew and sesame are typically smallholder crops, with farmers typically cultivating less than two hectares of land. Robust currently sources the vast majority (98 per cent) of its volumes through aggregators, indirectly reaching an estimated 717,000 smallholders. |
How much?
| Scale | Depth/Duration |
|---|---|
|
Employees: Robust estimate that their new processing facilities will employ c.1,100 additional workers. Suppliers: Robust expect to reach an additional 587,000 farmers annually by 2027. |
Depth: primary processing of cashew and sesame represent a significant value addition compared to trading of the raw commodities. Duration: the increase in processing capacity will lead to long-term impact for employees and suppliers, assuming sufficient working capital remains available. |
Contribution/additionality
| Contribution/additionality |
|---|
|
Our core additionality is financial, by providing committed, long-term working capital which is not available in sufficient quantity, nor on the same terms, from commercial banks to support the sourcing needs of their new processing facilities in Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Burkina Faso. |
Risk
Evidence RiskThe depth of impact on end farmers will not be possible to effectively monitor given the indirect sourcing model. Unexpected Impact RiskSmall scale primary agriculture is exposed to environmental and social risks relating to the supply chain, safeguarding and health and safety. These risks, and potential mitigants, will be addressed through the Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP). |
Environmental and social information
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Environmental and social summary
A high-level description of the environmental and social aspects of the investment. This may include a summary of key environmental and social risks identified during environmental and social due diligence (ESDD); key elements of an environmental and social action plan (ESAP); or ways in which we plan to support the investee improve environmental and social standards, such as through their environmental and social management system (ESMS); as well as any other priority areas agreed with the investee.
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Environmental and social risk
A risk category rating, which indicates the level of environmental and social risk associated with an investment. For an explanation of the categorisations used, see here. We consistently provide an environmental and social risk category for all investments screened from 2023 onwards.
Environmental and social summary
This investment is classified as medium-high E&S risk. We agreed an ESAP to map the supply chain and develop a supply chain risk assessment and management system (sustainable sourcing), and natural resources management plans.
Environmental and social risk
Medium-High
Reporting and Complaints Mechanism
The Reporting and Complaints Mechanism allows anyone outside BII to report alleged breaches of the business integrity or environmental and social provisions of BII’s Policy on Responsible Investing. This includes breaches made by BII, a BII investee, or a portfolio company of a fund in which BII has invested. The Reporting and Complaints Mechanism Rules are available here. Reports and complaints can be submitted by email to reportsandcomplaints@bii.co.uk or by mail. See more details on our Reporting and Complaints Mechanism here.
For any other general enquiries contact us at enquiries@bii.co.uk
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Key facts
- First published
:
When the investment was first published on the website database.
- March 2025
- Last updated
:
When the last quarterly update of the website database occurred.
- March 2025
- Project number
:
An identifier number shared by investments in the same project.
- D7029
- Status
:
The current status of the investment (green flag for active and red flag for exited).
- Active
- Region
:
The geographical region where the country is located. We currently invest in Africa, South Asia, South East Asia and the Caribbean. In 2023, BII’s investment mandate was extended allowing it to invest in regional funds linked to Ukraine, with the majority of activity expected to begin post-war. Investments outside these regions were made prior to 2012 under previous investment mandates.
- East Africa, West Africa
- Country
:
The countries where the investment delivers impact. Where impact is delivered in multiple countries, this is indicated.
- Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mozambique
- Sector
:
We prioritise those sectors that facilitate development and need our capital the most. Our priority sectors contribute towards many of the Sustainable Development Goals. They range from investing in the power infrastructure that will provide people with better access to electricity, to investing in financial institutions that direct capital to the individuals and businesses that need it the most.
- Business and consumer services
- Sub sector
:
The sub-sector that the investment is made into; this provides a more granular level of detail than the ‘sector’ information
- Food Products
- Investment type :
- Debt
- Start date :
- November 2024
- Amount :
- $20m
- Currency of investment :
- USD
- Domicile
:
The company or investment fund’s place of incorporation.
- Singapore
We provide capital in the following ways: directly – through direct equity, direct debt, guarantees and other non-intermediated financial instruments; and indirectly – principally through investment funds.
For direct investments and fund investments, this is the date BII committed capital to the investments. This is typically the date on which legal agreements are signed by all parties.
For the portfolio companies of our fund investments, this is the date (either the month or the quarter) on which the fund committed capital to the portfolio company.
For direct equity investments, this is the date at which British International Investment exited the investment.
For debt investments, this is the date at which the final debt repayment was made.
For funds, this is the date at which the fund was terminated.
For underlying fund investments, this is the date at which the fund manager exited the investment.
The total amount committed, per financial instrument, per investment, on the date BII becomes subject to a binding legal obligation to provide funding or assume a contingent liability. This information is provided in US dollars.
For direct investments, this is the amount that BII has committed to the business or project. For fund investments, this is the amount BII has committed to the fund.
The currency in which the investment was made.
- First published
