Category: Agri-SMEs

Sorghum, Millet and Cassava vs Maize: What Actually Survives a Kenyan Drought

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Maize is the default crop for most Kenyan smallholder farms. It fills the plate as ugali. It has the most established seed supply chains. Local agrovet shops stock it before almost anything else. For decades, this made sense in areas with steady, predictable rainfall. But maize is a thirsty crop. It needs consistent moisture through…

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Agri-SMEs

How Kenyan Farmers Are Adapting to Rains That No Longer Follow the Calendar

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In Kisii County, farmers plan their whole year around one date. It is the day the long rains begin. For generations, that day was predictable. Farmers cleared their land in March. They planted maize in the first week of April. The rains came. The crop grew. That pattern has broken down. Picture a smallholder farmer…

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Agri-SMEs

Oxano Capital Invests in Delta Bee to Strengthen Uganda’s Honey Value Chain

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A Ugandan apiculture enterprise that has built its commercial model around smallholder beekeeper partnerships has secured private equity backing, with Oxano Capital finalising an investment in Delta Bee to strengthen production capacity, deepen value chain integration, and open regional and international market access for one of Uganda’s most socially embedded agricultural businesses. The Oxano Capital…

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Agri-SMEs, Funding

Agriarche Raises Strategic Investment from Proparco to Strengthen Nigeria’s Food Supply Chain

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French development finance institution Proparco has invested in Agriarche, a Nigerian agri-tech company building technology-enabled infrastructure for agricultural value chains and smallholder farmer market access, through its Bridge Fund, which backs innovative women-led startups contributing to more inclusive and sustainable agricultural systems across sub-Saharan Africa. The funding strengthens Agriarche’s ability to scale its integrated model…

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Agri-SMEs, Funding

Will the Ecobank–Proparco Partnership Improve Access to Finance for Agricultural SMEs

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Ecobank Transnational Incorporated and Proparco have signed a major partnership to mobilise up to €300 million over the next three years to support agricultural value chains and women-led businesses across Africa. The Memorandum of Understanding was announced on 11 May 2026 at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi. This collaboration combines Ecobank’s extensive pan-African banking…

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Agri-SMEs, Funding

Acumen Backs Scalable Market-Driven Poultry Platform

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Acumen has announced an investment in Pullus Africa Solutions Limited, a Nigerian agribusiness dedicated to creating reliable and fair markets for smallholder poultry farmers. The investment will support the expansion of Pullus’ aggregation network and cold-chain infrastructure, enabling farmers to sell chickens consistently throughout the year at stable, fair prices rather than being limited to…

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Agri-SMEs, Funding

NCBA Bank Targets Agri-Food Value Chain with Women SME Financing Programme

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NCBA Bank has strengthened its commitment to gender-inclusive growth by partnering with the African Guarantee Fund under the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, led by the African Development Bank Group. Through the NCBA–AFAWA WSMEs Acceleration Programme, the bank is providing targeted financial and non-financial support to women-led small and medium enterprises…

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Agri-SMEs

Bayer Foundation and UNCDF Move to Fill Food Systems Funding Gap

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The Bayer Foundation and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) have officially moved from planning to action with the first investments from the Food Systems Innovation Finance Facility (FSIFF). This initiative targets “missing middle” agribusinesses in underserved markets that are often deemed too risky for commercial banks but have outgrown traditional grants. Strategic Inaugural…

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Agri-SMEs, Funding

Mirepa Targets Diaspora Demand with Investment in Ghanaian Food Producer

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Posted on April 15, 2026 by Africa Digest News Mirepa Investment Advisors has completed an investment in Uniik Foods through its SME private equity vehicle, Mirepa Capital SME Fund I. The transaction will support the company’s next phase of growth by modernising production infrastructure, expanding manufacturing capacity, and strengthening both domestic distribution and international export operations. Headquartered in…

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Agri-SMEs, Funding

How Acumen Is Scaling Regenerative Agriculture Through Coffee

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Acumen has made a strategic investment in Mountain Harvest, a Ugandan speciality coffee company that partners with smallholder farmers to deliver higher incomes and promote climate-resilient regenerative agriculture. The investment will support the construction of a temperature-controlled warehouse, dry mill and colour sorter, and land acquisition to expand processing capacity and strengthen the company’s supply…

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Agri-SMEs, Funding