Guangxi Environmentally Sustainable Rural Development Demonstration Project

Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China, 2022 – 2023

Client: Asian Development Bank

Role: Technical Assistance Team

Project Background and Objectives

The Guangxi Environmentally Sustainable Rural Development Demonstration Project aims to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaged in sustainable and value-added agricultural production, processing, and rural value chain development. The project is structured around the establishment of a rural ESG financing facility supported by a proposed USD 135 million financial intermediation loan from the Asian Development Bank.

The project seeks to demonstrate how ESG-aligned financing can catalyze green rural development while strengthening institutional capacity for sustainable investment management.

SIET’s Role and Services

SIET was engaged as the project preparation consultant to support full readiness for ADB financing and implementation. The scope of services includes:

  • Technical, economic, and financial feasibility assessment of proposed project components
  • Review of environmental and social safeguard requirements and preparation of safeguard documents
  • Social surveys, stakeholder consultations, and social and gender analyses, including preparation of mitigation measures addressing poverty, social inclusion, and gender impacts
  • Review of domestic feasibility studies and provision of recommendations to align project design with ADB and government requirements
  • Design of an innovative financial intermediation loan (FIL) targeting SMEs to support environmentally sustainable and green agricultural development
  • Capacity development for executing and implementing agencies on project management and implementation
  • Preparation of all linked documents and supplementary documents required for the ADB Report and Recommendation of the President (RRP)

Outcomes and Value Added

The technical assistance establishes a practical and scalable rural ESG financing model that enables SMEs to access climate- and sustainability-aligned finance. SIET’s work ensures that the project is financially viable, safeguard-compliant, socially inclusive, and fully aligned with ADB’s ESG and sustainable rural development objectives.