Aurangzeb briefed on Acumen’s $90mn climate-focused agriculture fund for Pakistan

Acumen Pakistan is advancing work on its $90 million Agriculture Resilience Fund (ARF), a blended finance facility aimed at strengthening climate adaptation in the country’s agriculture sector, the organisation’s leadership informed Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb during a meeting in Islamabad.

Dr. Ayesha Khan, CEO and Country Head of Acumen Pakistan, along with her team, called on Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, for a meeting at the Finance Division on Thursday, read a statement.

During the meeting, Acumen briefed the minister on progress on its $90 million ARF for Pakistan, designed as a blended finance facility for climate adaptation in the agriculture sector.

The finance minister appreciated this initiative, noting that Pakistan—ranked among the most climate-vulnerable countries—faces serious challenges to its agriculture-dependent economy. He underlined the importance of innovative financing models that can build adaptive capacity, improve food security, and support rural livelihoods.

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Acumen, also known as the Acumen Fund, is a nonprofit impact investment fund founded in 2001 by Jacqueline Novogratz to fight global poverty by investing in social enterprises that serve low-income individuals in sectors like energy, agriculture, and health.

Aurangzeb welcomed Acumen’s continued commitment to Pakistan and acknowledged the organisation’s efforts to strengthen food systems, promote smart farming, and enhance farmer resilience through targeted investments in agribusinesses.

The minister assured Acumen of the government’s support for investment initiatives that align with Pakistan’s sustainable development and climate resilience agenda.

It was also shared that a high-level Acumen delegation of Acumen board members and global investors will be visiting Pakistan next month to engage with key stakeholders in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, in light of the country’s improving macroeconomic indicators and forward-looking trajectory.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration for the development of a resilient and sustainable agriculture sector in Pakistan.