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Alterfin

Subsidy : August 2021 - December 2022

BIO has given 19,924 EUR Technical Assistance to Alterfin, a Belgian social investor, to improve its ESMS capacities

Amount

€ 19,924.00

Type of investment

Subsidy

Beneficiary locations

Africa: Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya
Asia: Cambodia
Latin America and Caribbean:

Investment field

Investment Companies & Funds

Activity

KK.64.302 FI Fund

Organisation

Alterfin

Domicile

Belgium

More investments in

Alterfin

  • Subsidy € 350,000.00 (2025)
  • Debt $ 5,000,000.00 (2023)
  • Subsidy € 21,500.00 (2023)
  • Subsidy € 80,000.00 (2022-2024)
  • Debt € 3,000,000.00 (2020)
  • Equity € 250,000.00 (2002)

Alterfin is a Belgian financial cooperative created in 1994 which invests in smallholder farming in developing countries via microfinance institutions, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and producer’s organisations. Alterfin’s goal is to improve the livelihoods and living conditions of socially and economically disadvantaged people and communities, predominantly in rural areas in low and middle-income countries.

Active in 31 countries with 5 regional offices, Alterfin has currently a 55% exposure of its portfolio in Latin America, 21% in Africa and 23% in Asia. Alterfin is particularly committed to finance the “missing middle” by offering smaller loans on shorter terms.

Technical Assistance

Upgrading and Implementing an Environmental and Social Management System

Having a well-functioning and upgraded ESMS in line with BIO standards, including the procedures and practical tools that ensure integration of E&S management in the existing credit procedure and risk management system

Expected impact

  • Every credit transaction will be screened through an efficient E&S management system. It will improve the E&S risk mitigation and will provide guidance to improve E&S practices of Alterfin’s portfolio companies.
  • It could also reduce reputational risks by identifiying potential E&S failure before realizing the investment into the company.
  • Furthermore, the TA project aims to provide Alterfin an understanding of the business-case of E&S management, and that they receive training on how to apply the E&S procedures and tools throughout the investment cycle

Portfolio 2021 Q4

View more of our investments in this region

Financial Institutions

Alliance Finance Company PLC

15,000,000.00

  Sri Lanka

  07/07/2026

  Debt

Investment Companies & Funds

Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund II (ARAF II)

5,000,000.00

  Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda

  06/07/2026

  Equity

Société de Microcrédits Congolais

5,000,000.00

  Democratic Republic of Congo

  01/04/2026

Financial Institutions

Prime Bank

20,000,000.00

  Bangladesh

  12/03/2026

  Debt

Enterprises

Limbua Group

 141,025.00

  Kenya

  01/02/2026

  Subsidy

Enterprises

Orchidia Pharmaceutical Industries

8,100,000.00

  Egypt

  01/02/2026

  Equity

Investment Companies & Funds

Kampani

 2,000,000.00

  29/01/2026

  Equity

Financial Institutions

Vital Finance

 3,000,000.00

  Benin

  13/01/2026

  Debt

Infrastructure

Bandwidth and Cloud Services

15,000,000.00

  Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe

  01/01/2026

  Debt