News
Small Foundation is pleased to announce our support for the Climate Resilient Africa Fund (CRAF) a pan-African focused locally led fund, as part of our GP Facility initiative.
CRAF will invest in early-stage ventures that strengthen food system resilience, combining capital with post-investment support to help companies manage risks, build partnerships, and plan for growth. The fund is led by a team with expansive experience in agriculture, entrepreneurship, and investment.
Food systems across Africa are increasingly exposed to climate variability, placing smallholder farmers and agri-food businesses under both short- and long-term pressure. New business models will be required if food systems are to adapt and remain resilient. Local fund managers can play a critical role in identifying and backing these models, yet long fundraising cycles often constrain their ability to deploy capital at the right time.
Our support provides CRAF with stability during its fundraising period, enabling the team to continue building its pipeline and refining its approach. For Small Foundation, partnering with CRAF is consistent with our wider strategy of backing local fund managers that are building context-specific investment models in underserved markets
Climate Resilient Africa Fund backs early-stage technologies at the intersection of Africa’s half trillion USD agri-food sector, and the devastating toll that climate change stands to take on it. Small Foundation’s support has given us the runway both to close with anchor investors, and to scale companies delivering climate adaptation and financial value. The structuring of the facility allows us to move forward with momentum, and with full risk control.
Hosam Allam, Climate Resilient Africa Fund
As a first-time fund focused on climate resilience, CRAF provides an opportunity to learn how resilience can be built into early-stage investment, why hands-on support after investment matters, and how new fund managers can strengthen their capacity while aiming for broader system impact. We hope this engagement will generate insights on the role of local fund managers in building climate resilience and the different pathways available to first-time GPs seeking to establish durable, system-relevant investment vehicles.
