Support to Agricultural Revitalization and Transformation Facility (START)
The Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) is a Government of Uganda programme supported by the European Union under the overall supervision of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), with the overall goal to consolidate stability in Northern Uganda, reduce poverty and under-nutrition and strengthen the foundations for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development. Through its Support to Agricultural Revitalization and Transformation Facility, START) program which is a dedicated blended finance facility financed with initial capital of € 4m.
Improving access to finance for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) engaged in agricultural value addition through the storage and processing of agricultural products within the regions of: Karamoja, Acholi, Lango, Teso & West Nile.
1) Capital intensive (i.e., its capital cost is relatively high in relation to annual sales); 2) Employs proven technology; 3) Has a relatively long physical and economic life, 4) Has an economic output that is determined primarily by its design and successful construction; 5) Revenues are in the form of commercially reasonable charges for its output, sufficient to pay all project operating expenses and debt service (if applicable), plus provide an adequate return on equity to the project’s investor(s).