The report, “Food Systems Investing in East Africa: The Roles of Funds in Financing Food Systems Transformation,” analyzed 23 impact funds to determine their effectiveness in fostering sustainable and just agriculture across the region. Commissioned by Transformational Investing in Food Systems (TIFS), the study utilized the Systems Investing Assessment (SIA) tool to reveal that while funds strongly emphasize livelihoods and system sustainability, significant gaps remain in addressing life, biodiversity, and human rights. The white paper identifies a “missing middle” finance gap for agroecological entrepreneurs and provides strategic recommendations to strengthen the investment ecosystem, including the development of an overarching investment thesis for agroecology and the organization of a community for mission-driven fund managers to share best practices.

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