Bhutan Agri. High Value Supply-Chains (IFC-605723)

Regions
  • South Asia
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Countries
  • Bhutan
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Financial Institutions
  • International Finance Corporation (IFC)
International, regional and national development finance institutions. Many of these banks have a public interest mission, such as poverty reduction.
Project Status
Active
Stage of the project cycle. Stages vary by development bank and can include: pending, approval, implementation, and closed or completed.
Bank Risk Rating
U
Environmental and social categorization assessed by the development bank as a measure of the planned project’s environmental and social impacts. A higher risk rating may require more due diligence to limit or avoid harm to people and the environment. For example, "A" or "B" are risk categories where "A" represents the highest amount of risk. Results will include projects that specifically recorded a rating, all other projects are marked ‘U’ for "Undisclosed."
Sectors
  • Agriculture and Forestry
The service or industry focus of the investment. A project can have several sectors.
Investment Type(s)
Advisory Services
The categories of the bank investment: loan, grant, guarantee, technical assistance, advisory services, equity and fund.
Investment Amount (USD)
Not Disclosed
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Primary Source

Original disclosure @ IFC website

Updated in EWS Nov 3, 2022

Disclosed by Bank Sep 16, 2022


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Project Description
If provided by the financial institution, the Early Warning System Team writes a short summary describing the purported development objective of the project and project components. Review the complete project documentation for a detailed description.

Through this investment, The International Finance Corporation (“IFC”), and Himalayan Ventures Private Limited plan to collaborate under this diagnostic and scoping advisory project to support the growth of private-sector agribusiness in Bhutan. Himalayan Ventures Private Limited (“Himalayan Ventures”) is a diversified holding company incorporated in the United Kingdom and focused on investing and developing sustainable agro-based industries in Bhutan.

The advisory project is aligned to the IFC South Asia Strategy and Bhutan Country Strategy focused on sustainable private-sector development, particularly in the agribusiness sector in the region with an emphasis on improving the sector competitiveness for creating long-term investment opportunities. It is also aligned with the business interests of Himalayan Ventures Private Limited which is looking to promote brand Bhutan in niche markets in the west, especially for specialty products such as organic coffee, and aromatic herbs and essences.

This investment feasibility study diagnostic and scoping advisory project will be implemented to undertake:
(a) a market and sector competitiveness assessment for two or three high-value, niche commodity value-chains in Bhutan, particularly from an export standpoint; and
(b) an investment feasibility diagnostic of business operations of Himalayan Ventures and its partners in two to three niche/high-value commodity value-chains.
(c) identification of supply chain gaps to scope an advisory project based on the recommendations made for technical assistance

The assessment will include operations in Bhutan and potentially neighboring Himalayan regions India such as Sikkim and Nepal with a view to strengthen Himalayan Ventures’ business in Bhutan.

Under Phase I of the engagement, IFC will carry out the diagnostic assessment for (a) organic coffee, (b) aromatic herbs and essences, and (c) bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides, and (d) other agribusiness sectors as mutually agreed between IFC and Himalayan Ventures.

The project (Phase I) will be implemented from May 1, 2021 and will conclude on December June 2023. Phase I may be followed by a Phase II with an advisory project focused on supporting Himalayan Ventures implement some of the recommendations especially with smallholders, MSMEs and communities in the supply-chains in Bhutan for improving competitiveness, climate resilience, gender mainstreaming, and sustainability.

Investment Description
Here you can find a list of individual development financial institutions that finance the project.

Contact Information
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No contact information provided at the time of disclosure.

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How it works