Deadline: 3-Jun-22
UNCDF invites legally registered institutions allowed to operate in Malawi that have innovative products and services, ready for pilot or scale to apply.
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) supports the development of new use-cases, products or business models that could drive outcomes around Inclusive Digital Economies and the expansion of Digital Financial Services for segments currently left behind, such as women, youth, and other vulnerable segments in the low-income groups.
The purpose of this RFA is to select one to two qualified digital financial service provider/s committed, ready and able to pilot or scale an inclusive innovative solutions targeting smallholder farmers with a focus on women and youth in Malawi to attain the following:
- Demonstrate that inclusive innovative solutions on digital financial services, when designed and delivered with an understanding of the low-income and vulnerable group segments needs and use of new or existing data sources, can have an impact on the access and usage of digital financial services by these marginalized segments.
- Demonstrate that relevant use-cases for smallholder farmers can ensure sustained usage of digital financial services, which in turn can improve the livelihoods of these.
- Demonstrate and prove the business case for developing specific use cases that serve the needs of smallholder farmers, women, and youth segment groups.
Details
Proposals may include, but are not limited to:
- Alternative digital financing solutions for smallholder farmers (i.e. Crowdfunding, un-collateralized access to digital finance).
- Digital and finance platforms – institutions with large farmer databases both digital and non-digital that could be leveraged to set up a platform enabling user interactions at scale and crowding-in of other services including digital finance services.
- Digitalization of agricultural value chains beyond payments: For example, Digital savings products, digital enabled agriculture insurance, agriculture advisory and extension services, weather and market information, marketplace etc.
- Digital platforms focused on interconnecting value chain actors such as Smallholder farmers, off-takers, aggregators, extension service providers, input suppliers, processors and consumers
- Geodata for land demarcation and/or biomass detection for yield forecasting for improved financial access.
For this engagement, applicants should include the following considerations in their proposal for the development of the solution:
- Should be committed to addressing the needs of smallholder farmers specifically women and youths.
- Should take into consideration lower rates of phone ownership, limited connectivity, low literacy, and digital skills of end users.
Funding Information
- UNCDF plans to invest up to a total of USD (United States Dollar) 400,000 in grant funding towards the implementation of the intervention
- Applicants must have an existing solution having tested a proof of concept that is ready to undergo pilot testing or an existing solution that is ready for scaling for a duration of 24 months.
Eligibility Criteria
- Entity registration: The applicant/ lead applicant must be a legally registered institutions allowed to operate in Malawi i.e., Commercial bank, microfinance institution, insurance company, money transfer operator, payment service provider, insurance company, financial service provider, technology provider, fintech company, AgriTech company
- Relevant operation licenses
- The lead applicant must be licensed by Malawi’s law to provide agent business services.
- The applicant should be delivering digital financial services and if not should submit evidence of collaboration with digital financial service provider/s.
- Country of operation: The applicant must be based in Malawi, duly registered and having at least three years of operations in Malawi.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3M3h6ZM