DGGF ESG Awards: celebrating climate innovation with Kilimo
To mark a decade of impactful work, DGGF – Financing local SMEs hosted the knowledge sharing event "Implementing Scale: SME Finance in Emerging Markets" last year. This event brought together 160 stakeholders from 35 countries to reflect on the progress made in SME finance and to explore strategies for scaling financial solutions.
The event was a convergence of DGGF’s investees, co-investors, partners, and policymakers, providing a platform to reflect on our journey, celebrate our successes, and plan future strategies to scale SME finance globally. It was not only a celebration of past achievements but also a forward-looking initiative aimed at transforming entrepreneurial ecosystems through impact investing, cooperation, and innovation.
During the event, an awards ceremony recognized SMEs in the DGGF portfolio with outstanding achievements in three different categories: (1) Climate Action Excellence, (2) Women Economic Empowerment and (3) Inclusive Growth Champion.
Climate Action Excellence Award: Kilimo
In the category of Climate Action Excellence, Kilimo proudly took home the prize. Nominated by Salkantay Ventures, a DGGF investee since 2022, Kilimo has been recognized for their outstanding contributions to sustainable agriculture.
Kilimo is revolutionizing the agricultural sector by optimizing water usage through advanced data analytics, machine learning, AI, and technical irrigation systems. Climate crisis triggers severe droughts, compelling the pursuit of resilient solutions to mitigate future impacts within Latin America. Kilomo their innovative approach not only conserves water but also significantly enhances farming efficiency. Their impact on local communities is evident through the management of 220,000 hectares under water efficiency practices, the restoration of 8 million m³ of water in some of the world's most stressed basins, and the implementation of hyper-local Water Stewardship projects across seven countries. To date, their initiatives have shown exceptional potential for scalability, both in Latin America and globally.
This dedication to sustainable agriculture and innovative solutions is paving the way for a more efficient and environmentally friendly future in farming. Kilimo's efforts exemplify the impact that technology and data-driven approaches can have on addressing global challenges in agriculture.