
MARKET ACCESS AND RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (MAREP)
RURAL INVESTMENT FUND (RIF)
The Rural investment Fund (RIF) is directly under the Market Access Enterprise Development (MAED) Component.
The RIF will be used to finance viable sub projects (agricultural/ rural enterprise) designed to assist community based oranisations and producer groups to increase their revenue and net income through gains in efficiency and competitiveness.
RIF Conditions
Funding under the RIF will cover projects meeting the following gneral conditions:
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Located in One of MAREP's 50 Communities
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Costs are comletely incurred durign the rject implementation period
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The beneficiary is able to provide an identifiable and verifiable record of accounts.
The RIF has three different types of investments:
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Community Investment
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Enterprise Investment
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Small Scale Revenue Activities
Financed intiatives will be selected through a competitive and transparent process. All proposals must meet MAREP's specific selection criteria.
Community Investments
This specifically focuses on potential beneficiaries from the communities, community based organisations and producer groups. These groups must have a strategic plan and a minimum of five members.
The funding will support activities that are closely related to public infrasruture.
These investments are solely funded by the Caribbean Development Bank.
Enterprise Investments
The Enterprise Investments are targeting legally registered organizations, cooperatives and producer groups
(which comprise of farmers, fisherfolk, rural enterprise) who possess a strategic and business plan.
The investments will be used to finance production, market access solutions, irrigations, agro processing and equipment for land preparation.
The beneficiary is responsible for contributing a minimum of 20% of the project cost (may be in-kind contribution).
Small Scale Revenue Generating Activities
This investment opportunity is targeting informal groups of vulnerable individuals (including women and youths).
The beneficiaries may be one of the following:
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Farmers
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Fisher folk
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Artists/Artisan
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Craftspeople
The beneficiary is responsible for contributing a minimum of 20% of the project cost ( may be in-kind contribution).