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iDE partners with rural entrepreneurs to make postharvest mechanization and support services more available to smallholder farmers in Kenya, with a particular emphasis on women and youth.
The She Feeds Africa project, funded by Zinpro Corporation and the Anderson Foundation, provides women entrepreneurs with access to financing, tools, and training, equipping them to improve postharvest practices and incomes across Kenyan communities
With funding from Oxfam Great Britain, Bountifield partnered with women entrepreneurs to promote postharvest services for smallholder farmers in Kitui County.
As described by Artful Living, Bountifield’s integration into iDE operations are two things that were meant to be.
Combining Bountifield’s postharvest expertise with iDE’s extensive global footprint will create opportunities to scale impact for last-mile communities, improving food security and reducing postharvest losses.
In Kenya, smallholder farmers are responsible for 80 percent of all agricultural output. One of the leading economic sectors, agriculture accounts for 33 percent of the country’s GDP, 65 percent of export earnings, and 70 percent of rural employment. Despite the prevalence of agricultural activity, much of the population is still food insecure. Undernourishment has increased over the past decade from a low point of 20 percent of the population in 2015 to 27.8 percent in 2023. Food loss is estimated at 30 percent of all stored products and, with limited access to reliable postharvest processing equipment, many farmers, particularly women, still process crops using manual labor. Severe drought conditions over the past few years have made matters worse for farmers, with low rains decreasing yields and impacting the health of livestock. This is further aggravated by international conflicts and events that cause food prices to surge and disrupts the global supply chain.
For developing world entrepreneurs to succeed they must participate in market ecosystems that are economically competitive, inclusive of all people, and resilient to shocks such as conflict or changing climates. By listening to every stakeholder—producers, suppliers, retailers and customers—we can overcome critical bottlenecks and develop lasting solutions.
Learn more about iDE’s approach to resilient market ecosystems.
iDE supports strengthening markets by providing rural entrepreneurs with access to postharvest mechanization along with technical training, financing options, and business mentoring. Through a one-to-many approach, these entrepreneurs develop processing businesses in which they provide small-scale farmers in their communities with essential postharvest mechanization and support.
This helps farmers, particularly women, save valuable time and labor that would otherwise have been used to manually process crops. In addition, postharvest mechanization greatly reduces food loss, improves quality and increases the profitability of farmers.
Learn more about iDE's commitment to Agriculture.
Like many countries in Eastern Africa, Kenya has been impacted by the worst drought conditions in forty years. With many farmers relying on rain-fed crops, unreliable rains year-over-year are decreasing the climate-suitable areas for crop production. As Kenya is a key food producer for Eastern Africa, this not only puts food security for the country at risk but also for the entire region.
iDE helps people in rural areas build their resilience to climate extremes like floods and drought through the use of climate-smart agricultural technologies and practices.
Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Smart Technologies.
While women play a significant role in Kenyan agriculture, they often have less access to resources, training and support. Only one percent of women farmers own land and they have access to less than ten percent of available financial credit.
By focusing on women as customers and entrepreneurs, iDE strengthens their participation in rural value chains and increases their access to technology, know-how, finance, and markets.
Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Gender Equity.
While overall hunger trends have been decreasing in Kenya, the past decade has seen a rise in undernourishment of the population, rising from 20 percent of the population in 2015 to 27.8 percent in 2023.
By promoting high-value, nutritious crops, iDE empowers farmers to earn more income and provides their families and communities with a more varied diet, fueling them with the energy and mental ability they need to be successful.
Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Nutrition.
ECI-Africa
Suite 1, Spring Court,
Watermark Business Park,
Ndege Road, Karen,
Nairobi, Kenya
Email: kenya@ideglobal.org
