KenyaKenya’s economy, the largest in East Africa, has witnessed a period of recent stability, with increased credit access to the private sector, investment in infrastructure, and growth in key sectors such as tourism, renewable energy, and information and communication technology (ICT).
35% of Kenyans live on less than a dollar per day.
At the same time, unemployment and poverty rates remain high, with 35 percent of Kenyans living on less than a dollar per day, and food insecurity looms large due to poor farming methods and vulnerability to drought. TechnoServe, which has operated in Kenya since 1973, is well-positioned to address these challenges and contribute to the realization of the country’s aspirations through market-led approaches. Currently, TechnoServe is focusing on livestock, coffee, horticulture, food processing and entrepreneurship development, with an emphasis on engaging youth and women.
Smart Duka: Empowering Shopkeepers in Nairobi
The Smart Duka program is working with enterprising shop owners in Nairobi’s informal settlements to increase the profitability of their small retail businesses. A partnership between TechnoServe, the elea Foundation and Citi Foundation, Smart Duka is equipping shop owners with the business knowledge and management skills they need to optimize their stores’ operations and financial performance.
TechnoServe is working with Nespresso to source high-quality coffee from Kenya and Ethiopia, while reducing poverty and improving resilience to climate change for approximately 57,000 households by the end of 2020.
The Coffee Initiative worked with local farmers in East Africa to improve agronomy and business practices, establish new coffee cooperatives and strengthen existing ones, and help cooperatives create business plans and access financing for wet mills.
A partnership with The Coca-Cola Company and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Project Nurture aimed to help more than 50,000 small-scale mango and passion fruit farmers in Kenya and Uganda double their fruit incomes. TechnoServe and its partners worked with farmers to identify new market opportunities, improve productivity and develop strong farmer business groups.
In partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, TechnoServe’s Innovation in Outcome Measurement (IOM) project aims to identify breakthrough innovations capable of transforming agriculture and to develop a framework for scaling these innovations for business use.
With large rural populations in Africa, it can be difficult to reach farmers for training and traveling to training can be costly and time consuming for farmers. The Mobile Training Unit project is an innovative agricultural extension training approach, which allows for large groups of smallholder farmers to receive audio and visual training lessons in rural areas.
Post-harvest losses in the value chain reduce incomes for mango farmers in Kenya. TechnoServe in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation launched a pilot project in July of 2015 to address key areas where post-harvest losses can be reduced.
TechnoServe and the Mastercard Foundation recently launched the Micro-Enterprises Strengthened for Pandemic Adaptation and Resilience in Kenya (mSPARK) program, a one-year partnership to support 28,000 entrepreneurs as they navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and ultimately move toward economic recovery.
TechnoServe partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to help rural youth in East Africa transition to economic independence. The Strengthening Rural Youth Development through Enterprise (STRYDE) program delivered a comprehensive package of services including skills training, business development and mentoring to young people ages 18 to 30 in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
"Mom and pop” shops play a critical role in developing economies around the world. In partnership with the elea Foundation and Citi Foundation, TechnoServe is working to increase the profitability of 840 high-potential shops in Nairobi, the majority of which are women-operated or women-owned.
The Pan-African Youth Entrepreneur Development (PAYED) program will provide training and tailored advisory support 600 young entrepreneurs in Kenya, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire to develop opportunities in the micro-retail sector.
“Hidden hunger” is a form of undernutrition affecting millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. Food fortification is a cost-effective strategy for addressing hidden hunger, helping people to access the nutrition they need.
The inability to access safe, nutritious, and affordable food is a problem for many people across East and Southern Africa, leading to widespread malnutrition in children.
Read the 2021 TechnoServe Annual Report in English, French, or Spanish in the PDFs on this page. You can find Portuguese here.
Evidence Driving Transformation of Smallholder Agriculture: The final report for TechnoServe’s IOM initiative details the innovative models piloted under four programs as well as lessons learned.
This final report explores five years of impact through the Solutions for African Food Enterprises (SAFE), a public-private partnership between TechnoServe, Partners in Food Solutions and the United States Agency for International Development that aimed to increase the competitiveness of the African food processing sector and expand the availability of…
In this case study, TechnoServe’s Innovations in Outcome Measurement (IOM) initiative explores innovative models for creating a profitable agribusiness that builds wealth in small farming communities of East Africa…
This collection of impact and learning briefs detail how to leverage the power of the private sector to create better nutritional outcomes for low-income consumers and more profitable market opportunities for local farmers.
This report details the work of TechnoServe and Nespresso to improve farmer livelihoods, support regenerative agriculture, and foster a more inclusive and sustainable coffee sector.
The Strengthening African Processors of Fortified Foods (SAPFF) program presents an innovative industry-led approach, drawing from its experience in Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania to promoting the fortification of staple foods and tackling micronutrient deficiencies amongst the most vulnerable
This study from the CASA TAF program provides an overview of the Kenyan alternative-fertilizer sector and characterizes the state of organic fertilizer production in the country, defining its growth potential, identifying blockers to scale, and providing recommendations to address them. There is a confluence of short-term and…
TechnoServe is partnering with Okta to develop a bundled tech, or “one-click” platform, that will enable small business owners in low-income countries to seamlessly manage their operations and improve their enterprises.
This series of business profiles and case studies explores how COVID-19 impacted food processors and how financial and technical assistance helped them recover.
In partnership with Laterite, we conducted a June 2020 survey about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on coffee farming in Kenya. Discover key results in the infographics below. View All Infographics June 2020 Survey…
In partnership with Laterite, we conducted a survey about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on coffee farming in Ethiopia and Kenya in June 2020. Discover key results in the infographics below and attached. View All Infographics …
A survey of food processing firms in seven African countries reveals the challenges facing the sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the results from TechnoServe's survey of 337 micro-retail program participants about the impact COVID-19 has had on their businesses.
TechnoServe surveyed 106 food processors, representing seven countries in Africa, on the impact of COVID-19 on their operations. This survey presents our findings.
TechnoServe offers a guide on the challenges and responses facing food processors during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on a survey of 106 food processors from seven African countries.
This case study summarizes the key learnings from the Smart Duka partnership, which has strengthened the micro-retail sector in Kenya.
The Smart Duka partnership has worked to improve the livelihoods of women and men who own and operate essential micro-retail outlets. This case study highlights the progress and impact of the program.
In 2017, TechnoServe engaged ImpactMatters, an impact audit firm founded with support from Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), to review several projects within our portfolio. This impact audit reviews the second phase of the Coffee Initiative, C.I. II, which was implemented by TechnoServe from 2012 to 2016 in Ethiopia, Kenya,…
Case study documenting how TechnoServe and Syngenta are addressing barriers to adoption of high-quality agricultural inputs among Kenyan potato and tomato smallholder farmers.
How TechnoServe’s Kenya Market Assistance Program (MAP) spurred widespread change in the commercial fodder market for dairy cattle.
Assessing the impact of a commercial mobile agriculture (mAgri) solution that benefits both agribusinesses and smallholder farmers.
Prepared by the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School, this report examines how Project Nurture demonstrates the potential for building sustainable and inclusive value chains through cross-sector partnerships.
The Young Women in Enterprise report highlights accomplishments and case studies from the program, funded by the Nike Foundation.
