The Challenge

Eighty percent of the Kenyan population (30 million people) derive their livelihoods from farming. Average landholding in the country continues to shrink; Kenya’s average farm size is less than 2.5 hectares of land. A powerful route to economic growth for Kenya’s smallholder farmers is access to productive agricultural assets; however, 36 percent of rural Kenyans have no access to any form of financial services, making these assets unattainable.

The Innovation

Juhudi Kilimo provides microfinance loan products that allow Kenyan smallholder farmers to access high-quality agricultural assets that enhance the productivity of their farms. Smallholder farmers use Juhudi Kilimo’s financing products to acquire assets like irrigation equipment, chicken coops, or improved breeds of dairy cows that can produce more than four times more milk per day than local dairy cow breeds in Kenya. This improved productivity in dairy, for example, has the potential to increase household productivity by $600 annually.

The Impact

Juhudi Kilimo has double its client base of borrowers since Acumen’s investment. The company aims to improve the lives of nearly 500,000 rural Kenyans. Juhudi Kilimo also offers technical support to its farmers, delivering information and services directly and through strategic partners.