Agri-businesses involved in the production and processing of coconut, sorghum, soya, mango and dairy were amongst the recipients of over €4.1m in business expansion support, in Nairobi recently.
The businesses joined the manufacturers of solar powered irrigation systems, providers of agri-transport leasing and the producers of bio-fertilisers, to receive grant funding from the AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund, a Self Help Africa led project supported by the EU and Slovak Aid that is designed to strength Kenya’s agri-enterprise sector.
Eight companies were awarded business grants to grow businesses, increase productivity, improve production systems and open up valuable new markets for thousands of small-scale farming households.
The companies to receive grant support from the AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund include Nairobi-based agri-processors Coconut Holdings Ltd, Olivada EPZ Ltd and Premier Foods Ltd, Kiambu-based Ndumberi Dairy Farmers Co-Operative and Transu Ltd from Kisumu.
Further grants were awarded to transport leasing company Vehicle and Equipment Leasing Ltd of Naivasha, Nairobi-based solar irrigation systems manufacturers Sunculture Kenya Ltd, and bio-fertiliser producers Real IPM Company from Thika.
The AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund has been established to contribute to the strengthening of Kenya’s agri-business sector, provide secure new markets for small–holder producers, and improve the capacity of farmers and pastoralists to practice environmentally sustainable and climate-smart agriculture in inclusive value chains.
The Fund is aiming to provide backing to up to 50 companies – and is designed to create markets for up to 100,000 small-holder farm producers, and up to 10,000 new jobs. The AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund recently shortlisted a total of 48 businesses for consideration in a second round of grant support under the Fund programme, and is currently advertising for Round Three grant applicants to the Fund. The closing date for this third and final call is 20 December.
To find out more about the AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund visit: www.agrifichallengefund.org