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DIGITAL EXHIBITION
WE4F innovators in the East African Region

Water and Energy for Food

Logo https://we4f.pageflow.io/we4f

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Emata


Making digital loans accessible for farmers.

Asili Farms


Pioneering and disseminating climate-smart agriculture practices.

Innovex


Remote monitoring solutions for solar systems.

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Safi Organics


Production organic fertilizer improving soil health and yield.

CBES


Improving the energy efficiency within the tea processing.

Mace Foods


Processing of chillies and indigenous vegetables.

SunCulture


Providing solar pumps for irrigation coupled with finance options.

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Guavay


Increasing crop yields with organic fertilizers.

Kazi Yetu


Producer of ethically sourced organic tea products.

Hanny G


Transforming agricultural waste to briquettes.

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Munyax eco


Gender-sensitive supplier of solar energy systems.

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aQysta


Supporting farmers with irrigation & market linkages. 

Green Impact Technologies (GIT)


One-Stop-Shop for agricultural technologies and inputs.

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Uganda

Emata was founded in 2020 to provide simple, available, and affordable farmer financing in East Africa. Emata partners with cooperatives and aggregators then uses their data to conduct an alternative credit scoring. These scores inform the qualification of farmers to access digital, affordable loans which in turn enables the farmers turn their farms into businesses. The high level of digitization enables Emata to make lending decisions more efficiently than most of the traditional lenders.
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Step 1:
Emata supports cooperatives with a free MIS (Management Information System) that helps to manage their day-to-day operations. Via the system, Emata gains the data needed to run a credit scoring.
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Step 2:

The farmers’ data (usually how much produce they supply to the cooperative) is then used to make lending decisions on amount and duration of loan.
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Step 3:
The farmer then uses a user-friendly WhatsApp bot to apply for a loan based on their credit score, without requiring any other collateral other than their milk supply or crop delivery. The loan is usually issued same day. 
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The digital loans allow farmers to use the power of loans to invest in the productivity of their farms instead of selling their produce to moneylenders at well below market value when they urgently need money. Emata loans do also not require land titles or other type of collateral and are more accessible also to women borrowers.
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By lending to the farmers, Emata earns interest on the money borrowed out. The repayment rate of loans is above 90% - a proof that the Emata model works.
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Through the simple and algorithm driven Emata digital loan, Hope Ndyasiima was able to take out two loans. One took 10 minutes from application to disbursement, the other 23 hours. This enabled her acquire goat herds from which she is making a good revenue. It allows her to contribute to building the family home, pay school fees for her children and also have disposable income to put towards her personal needs.
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Asili Agriculture (Asili) is an integrated food security company in Uganda that has pioneered and disseminated Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices that improve yields and soil health across six districts in Uganda, while aggregating grains and oilseeds for local and regional markets.

Asili currently provides CSA land management and marketplace solutions to 9 commercial farms and over 15,000 smallholder farmers across the Albertine and Northern districts of Uganda.
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Asili supports smallholder farmers to rejuvenate their land through climate-smart agriculture practices, such as zero tillage, integrated soil fertility management or the limited use of fire in agricultural areas. The practices make farmers more resilient, while leading to carbon sequestration. At the same time, Asili provides a platform to farmers to market their grains.
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Asili works on the required infrastructure for ordinary farmers to get into the carbon credit space. Their climate-smart agricultural practices can then be tracked and verified and the carbon credits sold on their behalf.
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"Because with Climate-Smart Agriculture you don’t plow and weed, the production cost is cut by half. Secondly, we used to harvest 5-6 bags of grain per acre, and now with this Climate Smart Agriculture, we are harvesting between 12-15 sacks." 

~ Peter Karanja, Ambassador Farmer Refugee Camp
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Over the past 10 years, Asili has build a platform supporting farming and grain market capabilities.

Asili sees its future in land management solutions and marketplace solutions - unlocking the potential of agriculture in East Africa.
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Innovex develops Internet of Things (IoT)-based digital solutions for transforming the distribution of off-grid solar systems and equipment in Africa. Their technology solutions provide remote monitoring, control, and payment integration for solar appliances in Eastern Africa.
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Innovex’ products are designed and tailor made to address uniquely power related African challenges. With their technology “REMOT” solar powered water pumps, cold storages or maize mills can be managed remotely.
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REMOT allows solar equipment providers to monitor their systems, even if they are installed in far off regions. Equipped with mobile connectivity, data from the systems are loaded to the REMOT Cloud from where they can be accessed and decisions made.
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Innovex works B2B with other solar companies to include the REMOT system. This opens up new services for end-users and make high-cost equipment more accessible.
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With the Pay-As-You-Go model, the end users can pay off a technology over time while the supplier keeps control over the equipment during this time.

With the Pay-Per-Use model, suppliers can bill end-users for using the technology and remotely „unlock“ the technology for a certain time or amount.
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Tanzania

Guavay produces, markets and distributes crop-specific organic and mineral-organic fertilizers. The fertilizers provide the right nutrient mix for high value crops as avocado, onions and rice.

The right fertilizers enable Tanzanian horticulture farmers to restore their depleted soils and improve soil fertility to enhance agricultural productivity and profitability.
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The Hakika fertilizer is designed to address a low pH level in the soil while also increasing the soil’s water retention. That way, farmers are able to use less water in their agricultural practices.
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The enterprise is targeting both local Tanzanian farmers as well as a fast growing global demand for organic fertiliser that is growing by more than 35% annually.
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The cost of Hakika is about 65% of the cost for a synthetic fertilizer on the market:

Hakika costs between Tsh39,000- 48,000 per 50kg bag whereas synthetic fertilizer costs upwards of Tsh70,000 be 50kg.
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The only way to achieve global food security is through improving the soil health and therefore achieving soil security.
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“Once we received training from the Hakika Agronomist on proper application of Hakika and started using it, our yields improved exponentially. I was previously harvesting between 50-60 kg of Avocado per tree using synthetic fertilizer but since I switched to Hakika, I harvest between 200-300 kg of Avocado per tree.”

~ Ester Mwogofy, Avocado Farmer
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Kazi Yetu is a woman-led social enterprise that processes and produces a range of ethically sourced and traceable tea blends and spices. Kazi Yetu sources from a network of over 2,500 small-scale farmers across Tanzania providing a premium market link to all segments of their supply chain.
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The farmers providing Kazi Yetu with tea and spices receive trainings on organic agriculture and are supported to get organic certification. This helps not only to foster a transparent supply chain but also ensures a consistent and high quality of produce sourced from the network of farmers.
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The products of Kazi Yetu are 100 % sourced, processed and made in Tanzania and help to bring economic benefit back to the country. Farmers and company workers benefit through the local value addition.
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At their factory, Kazi Yetu has installed 8.4 kWp of solar energy, which covers 60% of the energy requirements and helps to stay operational even when the electric grid fails. Kazi Yetu has also set up demonstration sites with cooperatives to pilot solar irrigation and solar drying.
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“Before we focused on Avocado which is a seasonal crop and when it was out of season, we did not have any money. With these herbs and spices, we can harvest weekly and get money. When these spies are sold outside countries, they fetch better prices and that means more profit for farmers”

~ Frank Msigwa – Director Nsha Farmers Cooperative
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Hanny G. is a woman-led company that was founded in 2016, dedicated to produce eco-friendly and cost-saving energy solutions. The company offers both carbonized and non-carbonized briquettes, as well as modern cookstoves.
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Briquettes and cookstoves are mainly sold to food processing industries, schools, and households seeking more sustainable energy solutions.
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The briquettes solve a waste management problem as they are made from agricultural by-products while also addressing a deforestation issue saving up to 45% of the cost of firewood
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Hanny G. offers institutions support for the transition to clean energy cooking options. The company designs and installs cookstoves at no upfront cost and the institutions pay gradually through a portion of the savings achieved from using briquettes instead of firewood and charcoal.
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Hanny G sells 200 tons of briquettes every month, replacing the traditional use of firewood or charcoal. The company estimates that due to the resulting reduced deforestation 72 tons of CO2 are sequestrated annually.  
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“I used to be busy all the time cooking in traditional way in three stone stove using firewood. Now I have time to do other economic activities like growing vegetables which we eat and sell some in the market. Not only am I breathing better but I am also supporting my family. Clean cooking has changed my life.”

~ Eliakunda Nassari, User of Kuni Poa briquettes
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Kenya

Safi Organics is a manufacturer of an award winning organic fertilizer in Kenya. The fertilizer is made by converting rice husks and other agricultural by-products purchased from farmers into organic fertilizer and selling it back to them at affordable rates.

Safi Organics aims at improving soil health, increasing yields, creating jobs in rural areas, generating income for Community Based Organisations (CBOs) while sequestering carbon.
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Safi Organics fertilizer restores the soil’s pH level while reducing plant toxicity. By applying the fertilizer farmers increase their yield by as high as 30%.
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The Safi Organic fertilizers are priced below the conventional chemical fertilizers with added benefits on restoring soil nutrients where the inorganic fertilizer strips the soil.
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“When I was using other synthetic fertilizers, I was harvesting 8 bags of rice. Now I harvest between 10-15 bags of rice from the same garden”

~ John Kinyua, Rice farmer and Safi Organics Client
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The Centre for Biomass Energy Studies (CBES) of the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology piloted an intelligent energy and water management system with the aim of making tea processing more climate-smart and resource-efficient. This has a high relevance for Kenya, currently ranked the third-largest producer and exporter of black tea in the world. CBES has worked on the following:
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A greenhouse seasoning shed was operationalized to produce optimal cured fuelwood for the factory boilers. In the shed, the wood is dried to its ideal moisture content, which increases the energy efficiency once burned.
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CBES installed smart meters in partnering tea factories to capture real time data on water and energy consumption in the processes. The data was used to improve operations and analyze the efficiency gains through a better seasoned wood fuel.
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CBES trained the operators of partnering tea factories on the operations of the greenhouse seasoning shed and the smart meters. By improving the energy efficiency through better practices, less wood is required, which leads to lower costs and emissions.
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The pilot project at the Iriaini Tea Factory has showed that with smart meters and properly dried wood, the fuelwood consumption can be reduced by 35% for the same amount of processed tea. This leads to reduced emissions and trees to be cut for the processing.
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As more and more tea processing factories are interested in this topic, CBES (now DeCES) are documenting and publishing the information gained to allow more factories to increase their resource efficiencies.
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Mace Foods is a women-led enterprise that produces, processes and markets chilies and traditional African leafy vegetables targeting product sales in the local, regional and export markets. The company also supplies to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industry.
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Mace Foods uses solar dryers to preserve chillies and green vegetables, including a specially fabricated greenhouse dryer at the factory. Additionally, solar dryers deployed at various aggregation centers help safeguard the produce and minimize the chances of spoilage during transportation to the processing facility.
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Mace Foods adheres to a gender policy that stipulates a minimum of 52% of its workforce, including employees and farmers, must be women. The company is committed to empowering women to assume leadership roles, leading to a significant representation of women in Mace Food’s management team.
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“At the Grading centers, they pay us monthly. That consistent income has helped some of us start small businesses and others have been able to pay school fees for their children.”

~ Michele Kemunto, Worker in Mace Foods grading center
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SunCulture develops and commercializes solar-powered irrigation solutions and related services to smallholder farmers. Their systems offer a high-quality and sustainable solution, made accessible and affordable to farmers through its Pay-As-You-Grow (‘PAYGrow’) financing offer.
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With its Pay-As-You-Grow option, SunCulture provides a way for farmers to pay off the equipment in small monthly installments. Interested farmers are taken through an assessment to analyze their credit score. If their loan is approved and the deposit paid, SunCulture technicians set up the pump.
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The financing option makes it easier for farmers to access a sustainable way to irrigate.  

With increased volatility in climate patterns due to climate change, such as prolonged droughts, SunCulture offers a reliable water supply, increasing climate resilience and boosting both food production and farmers' incomes.
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“Because I had other commitments like school fees, I would never have afforded to pay for the solar pump up front. When they told me I could pay in installments, I took the opportunity because then I knew I could start using the pump immediately to grow my produce and that would enable me to then service my loan. With this option, I do not feel the strain of the loan.”

~ Catherine Njeri, Farmer
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Malawi

aQysta is a company that provides solar and hydro pumps to smallholder farmers in combination with agriculture extension service, critical agro-inputs, and market access for harvest.
The company aims to empower 1 million farmers globally with better access to markets, capital, knowledge, farming inputs and renewable energy technologies by 2030.
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aQysta’s GROWN Farm Incubator model enables end-users to pay for the product and service as a percentage of the harvest. This percentage is calculated in proportion to the value created by the technology and service.
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STEP 1 Through the model, the company provides the pumps, farm inputs and a prepayment to farmers. This allows farmers to access quality farm inputs and water throughout the year for continuous crop production and to meet their basic needs during planting period.
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STEP 2 Smallholder farmers and aQysta enter into a contract where the cost of the inputs, the pump and the prepayments are recovered from the sale of the produce.
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STEP 3 Proceeds are shared on a 40-60 revenue share basis between aQysta and the farmer. Farmers are provided with a detailed breakdown of the costs involved for inputs and assets. Upon harvests, aQysta deducts part or the whole of what is owed to them by the farmer in line with the agreement between aQysta and smallholder farmers.
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The partnership between aQysta and the farmers provides an opportunity for both sides: The farmers get all required inputs for an ideal crop production, while aQysta can sell a high quality and sustainable product on the markets.
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“At first, I was relying on the rainy season to grow plants, which gave me output of maybe 2-3 bags but now with the Barsha Pump irrigation, I am able to harvest even 1 ton of potatoes and this has helped me achieve a lot of my financial goals.“

~ Salim Mpembenji, Farmer and aQysta client
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Green Impact Technologies is a one-stop-shop for agricultural technologies and inputs. Their products include solar water pumps and fridges, bio-digesters, organic fertilizer and other farm inputs.

GIT provides training to smallholder farmers on business management and value addition. That helps farmers to combine good inputs with the right knowledge to run a profitable farming enterprise.
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Organic Fertilizer:
Green Impact Technologies is a one-stop-shop for agricultural technologies and inputs. Their products include solar water pumps and fridges, bio-digesters, organic fertilizer and other farm inputs. GIT provides training to smallholder farmers on business management and value addition. That helps farmers to combine good inputs with the right knowledge to run a profitable farming enterprise.
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Affordable Pay-As-You-Go solar water pumps:
GIT sells different types of solar pumps to smallholder farmers. The pumps are equipped with Pay-As-You-Go technology and can be paid off over time by the farmer. The reliable form of irrigation helps farmers to boost their production and maximize the income they get from high-value crops like tomatoes, onions or cabbages.
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Solar refrigeration:
To reduce post-harvest losses, GIT provides different cooling solutions powered by solar energy. These solutions include household refrigerators that are sold together with a financing plan. After a down payment, farmers can pay off the fridge with monthly instalments over a period of up to two years.
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“When GIT offered us the irrigation pumps on the Pay-As-You-Go model, we immediately took on the offer. With the pump, unlike before when we were using buckets, we can irrigate a large area in a very short time, allowing us then to plant more crops and get more profits and also free up our time to focus on more ventures.”

~ Brino Tchodola, Cabbage farmer
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Rwanda

Created in 2013, Munyax Eco is a Rwandan company that provides solar as well as energy efficient solutions. They sell and install environmental friendly and high quality equipment such as solar water heating systems, solar refrigeration and other appliances.

The provided solar cooling technologies help farmers in rural Rwanda to avoid post harvest losses of their produce.
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Munyax Eco offers different sized cooling systems. From household refrigerators to cold rooms – fully powered by solar energy. The cold rooms are leased to cooperatives where the produce of farmers is aggregated and sold in bigger quantities to buyers.
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Munyax Eco practices what they call gender sensitive capacity building to empower women to work in men dominated fields such as energy, engineering or transportation. In the company the staff is composed of more than 50% women, especially on the technical side.
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“Before the cold room was constructed, we would end up making losses because tomatoes would only be fresh 3-4 days. Once we harvested 50 baskets and lost over 20 baskets of produce due to lack of storage. Now with the cold room storage, we are able to store our produce and price them competitively when the time comes.”

~ Annie Marie Mukasekuru, Farmer
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Wrap Up

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Overview
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Chapter 4 Map Navigation

Chapter 8 Main Navigation

Main Navigation

Chapter 10 Wrap Up

Ending

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