Speeches by Law.

“It must be a huge pressure on your cash flows.”

“You said you are working with the private sector quite a bit—your buyers, for example. What costs does that entail, and how do you help the smallholder farmers absorb some of that cost?”

“You have both spoken significantly about the challenges facing women and young people farming. Coming to smallholders more generally and perhaps the more operational side, what challenges do smallholder farmers face in having realistic options to implement adaptation measures?”

“You said you are working with the private sector quite a bit—your buyers, for example. What costs does that entail, and how do you help the smallholder farmers absorb some of that cost?”

“You have started to answer the question I was coming to, which is that you seem to be suggesting that we need to move not just from donor to investor, but almost to investor, co-ordinator and, not even a merchant banking model, where you are pooling the capital together and using public finance resource to do that, but…”

“You have both spoken significantly about the challenges facing women and young people farming. Coming to smallholders more generally and perhaps the more operational side, what challenges do smallholder farmers face in having realistic options to implement adaptation measures?”

“Nicola, you mentioned examples of not just creating an enabling environment, but setting out with an objective of building something, whether it is a grid in XYZ country, co-ordinating that end to end and bringing this full toolkit together. You said there may not be any good examples out there, but can you think of an…”

“I am sure the Committee would love to hear more examples, if you could write to us with some of the greatest hits in terms of providing the enabling environment, and the impact and capacity that that has built, and perhaps figures as well, if you have them. Thank you.”

“Very briefly, we are familiar with the term “mobilisation” at this point. In a word or a term, how would you describe the Government’s role in providing those services you have described?”

“You have more of less answered my next question, on whether it is realistic to expect the private sector to step up and fill those gaps. Do you feel that, with the right support, the Government can encourage that sufficiently?”

“Do you think it is possible for the Government to encourage that private capital that is already at work to take that correct form, consider those adaptation and mitigation requirements, and make those interventions?”

“You have started to answer the question I was coming to, which is that you seem to be suggesting that we need to move not just from donor to investor, but almost to investor, co-ordinator and, not even a merchant banking model, where you are pooling the capital together and using public finance resource to do that, but…”

“Nicola, you mentioned examples of not just creating an enabling environment, but setting out with an objective of building something, whether it is a grid in XYZ country, co-ordinating that end to end and bringing this full toolkit together. You said there may not be any good examples out there, but can you think of an…”

“Turning to you on this topic, Dharshan, the Government’s stated shift from donor to investor places that increasing weight on private finance to meet those commitments. What do you think is the Government’s role in maximising the potential of that private sector investment?”

“I am sure the Committee would love to hear more examples, if you could write to us with some of the greatest hits in terms of providing the enabling environment, and the impact and capacity that that has built, and perhaps figures as well, if you have them. Thank you.”

“Very briefly, we are familiar with the term “mobilisation” at this point. In a word or a term, how would you describe the Government’s role in providing those services you have described?”

“You have more of less answered my next question, on whether it is realistic to expect the private sector to step up and fill those gaps. Do you feel that, with the right support, the Government can encourage that sufficiently?”

“That is interesting. You think that the financing gap is a bit of a myth then?”

“Last but certainly not least with regards to this question, Mr Monk, what would be your view on the financing gaps?”

“I understood that pecking order, with domestic processing being right at the top of that. Do you see development finance having that role in de-risking our supply chains domestically? Are we there yet?”