The Market Linkages Initiative (MLI) is a two-year regional program funded by the United States Agency for International Development and implemented by CARANA Corporation, in association with ACDI/VOCA.
The goal of MLI is to promote growth in food staples and food security by integrating smallholder staple food producers into national and regional markets.
MLI project interventions are implemented in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, the Kivu region of the DRC and Malawi.
The project will help integrate smallholder producers of staple grains into networks of Grain Bulking Systems comprising of Village Aggregation Centers and larger grain bulking operations that provide the framework for a market-linked, transparent commodity trading system, anchored in
commercial principles and increasing overall throughput and smallholder access to markets.The goal of MLI is to promote growth in food staples and food security by integrating smallholder staple food producers into national and regional markets.
MLI project interventions are implemented in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, the Kivu region of the DRC and Malawi.
The project will help integrate smallholder producers of staple grains into networks of Grain Bulking Systems comprising of Village Aggregation Centers and larger grain bulking operations that provide the framework for a market-linked, transparent commodity trading system, anchored in
MLI therefore wishes to develop a list potential partners such as businesses and farmer groups (associations/cooperatives) and other organizations whose proposed activities will support MLI’s strategic objectives.
Grant assistance will be provided for storage upgrades, storage management, and farmer training on marketing requirements such as commodity quality, volumes and integration into village aggregation centers.
Such activities will be implemented from, approximately, May 2010 to July 2011.
The characteristics of such potential partners are as follows;
- The proposed activities of the partner organizations should support MLI’s goal mentioned in the first paragraph above.
- Applicants should be organizations registered in Kenya.
- Have access to warehouse(s) with a capacity in excess of 500 MT. The warehouse operator should have the potential to be registered and licensed with the appropriate authorities in Kenya.
- Source their commodities from village aggregating centres, each center with an annual supply of at least 40 MT.
- Have access to existing markets and the potential to expand such markets
- The organization be adaptable to recommendations on organizational structure and financial systems to implement the grant program and account for grant funds transparently.
- Ability to provide matching funds in terms of resources (e.g. cash, staff, equipment or loans).
Interested applicants should send;
a) Name of business, farmer groups or other organization
b) Contact person, full address and telephone number and email to grants @ eamli.com or Market Linkages Initiative, Gateway Insurance Complex, Milimani Road, P.O. Box 15782-00100 Nairobi, Kenya by 5:00pm April 9, 2010.
If additional information is needed, please contact us through email at grants @ eamli.com. You may also contact us on +254 20 271 9342.
MLI reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. Under no terms does submission of an application indicate commitment by MLI to fund the proposed activity.
a) Name of business, farmer groups or other organization
b) Contact person, full address and telephone number and email to grants @ eamli.com or Market Linkages Initiative, Gateway Insurance Complex, Milimani Road, P.O. Box 15782-00100 Nairobi, Kenya by 5:00pm April 9, 2010.
If additional information is needed, please contact us through email at grants @ eamli.com. You may also contact us on +254 20 271 9342.
MLI reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. Under no terms does submission of an application indicate commitment by MLI to fund the proposed activity.
