Samunnati raises $16 m in debt from Swiss firm Blue Earth Capital

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Agri value chain financier Samunnati has raised its single largest debt tranche of ₹133 crore ($16 million) during the first quarter of FY25 from Blue Earth Capital, a Swiss-headquartered global impact investment firm.

This is Blue Earth Capital’s first debt investment, providing a boost to Samunnati’s initiatives aimed at making significant changes in the lives of smallholder farmers across India.

In the current financial year, Samunnati has already secured $5 million (₹41 crore) in debt funding through an External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) from Enabling Qapital, a renowned global impact investment advisory firm. This is in continuation to an impressive FY 23-24, where Samunnati had secured a total of $155 million (₹1,291 crore) in debt and equity funding, the company said in a statement.

Anil Kumar SG, Founder and CEO of Samunnati, said: “This boost will strengthen our efforts to improve the lives of smallholders through climate and sustainability projects. Their partnership empowers us to amplify our impact, driving positive change in rural communities.”

Amy Wang, Head of Private Credit of Blue Earth Capital, stated: “Our partnership with Samunnati will help them expand their loan book and enhance the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices across its portfolio. We are impressed with Samunnati’s unique high-impact social outcomes while demonstrating strong resilience throughout different market conditions.”

The partnership with Blue Earth Capital will enhance Samunnati’s initiatives in promoting access to climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation practices. This includes collaborations with lenders, international agencies, and government bodies on green bonds, thematic lending models, and credit guarantee coverage programs for a climate-smart compliant portfolio. Currently, 22 per cent of Samunnati’s active portfolio is dedicated to climate-smart financing.

Samunnati has a presence in more than 100 agri-value chains spread over 23 States. Samunnati currently has access to over 6,500 farmer collectives with a member base of over eight million farmers and envisions impacting one in every four farming households through its network by 2027.