Agriculture Investments Regenerative Agriculture

AgDevCo Invests $9.5M in Kenya’s Agventure to Promote Regenerative Agriculture

AgDevCo has invested $9.5 million in Agventure, a Kenyan farmer-owned business focused on regenerative agriculture.
Image provided by AGVENTURE-Farms

Key Takeaways:

  • AgDevCo has invested $9.5 million in Agventure, a Kenyan farmer-owned business focused on regenerative agriculture.
  • Agventure promotes sustainable, non-irrigated cereal-based farming systems and offers training through its Centre of Excellence.
  • The investment will support Agventure’s canola oil production and seed supply for Kenyan farmers.
  • Agventure aims to increase local food production and reduce reliance on imported crops.

AgDevCo’s Investment in Kenyan Agriculture

AgDevCo, a specialist investor in African agriculture, has announced a $9.5 million mezzanine loan investment in Agventure, a farmer-owned business in Kenya dedicated to advancing regenerative agricultural practices. The funding will support Agventure’s ongoing initiatives to improve local food production and expand sustainable farming solutions across Kenya.

Agventure’s Focus on Regenerative Agriculture

Founded in 2010, Agventure brings together farmers, researchers, educators, and entrepreneurs with the goal of modeling and promoting sustainable farming methods. The organization advocates regenerative agricultural practices in non-irrigated, cereal-based systems, which aim to enhance soil health and increase crop resilience without relying on extensive water resources.

The company supplies over 45,000 tonnes of various crops to the Kenyan market, including wheat, barley, maize, and legumes. Through its Centre of Excellence, Agventure provides training to over 700 small and medium-sized farmers nationwide, encouraging them to adopt crop rotation practices and integrate rotational crops, such as canola, which supports soil health improvement. In turn, the company offers a guaranteed offtake for canola seeds, processing them into canola oil marketed in Kenya under the Pure Mountain brand.

Expanding Canola Oil Production and Seed Supply

AgDevCo’s investment will allow Agventure to scale up its canola oil production, increasing volumes purchased from outgrower farmers to meet growing local demand. Additionally, the funding will contribute to the development of Agventure Seed, a platform designed to supply high-quality, certified seeds to farmers, with the aim of boosting crop yields and contributing to the stability of Kenya’s agricultural sector.

Rebecca Sankar, AgDevCo’s Managing Director for East Africa, commented on the investment, stating, “We are excited to be supporting Agventure in its journey to add more value commodity crops, which increases the availability of high-quality, locally produced food for the domestic market and reduces reliance on imports.”

Supporting Sustainable Agriculture in Kenya

Agventure’s CEO, Don White, expressed optimism about the partnership, highlighting the potential impact on Kenya’s agricultural landscape. “Agventure is looking forward to working with AgDevCo to expand and strengthen our business and, in doing so, expand the availability of regenerative agriculture solutions to many more farmers,” White said.


AgDevCo Latest News

Mahela Group and ZZ2 Group Partner with AgDevCo for Major Avocado and Citrus Project in South Africa (2024/08/01)

Mahela Group and ZZ2 Group are partnering to develop a 400-hectare avocado and citrus farming operation in Weipe, Limpopo, South Africa. The partnership includes a minority equity investment from AgDevCo, a social impact investor specializing in agribusiness. The Skutwater project will expand the combined orchard size from 190 hectares to 400 hectares in its first phase, with plans to grow to 1,500 hectares in the second phase. The project aims to explore expansion opportunities in neighboring countries, including Mozambique. The Skutwater project is expected to employ over 1,200 full-time workers and create new job opportunities. The global market for citrus and avocados remains robust, with sustainable practices expected to yield high-quality fruit.

AgDevCo Invests in East African Agri-business Agris to Boost Fresh Food Production (2024/05/01)

AgDevCo has invested in Agris, an East African agri-business platform, to enhance its production capabilities and meet growing regional food security demands. The investment will strengthen Agris’ capacity to produce and distribute high-quality herbs, vegetables, and avocados from its Kenyan farms. Agris has developed three dynamic agriculture businesses under the brands Evergreen Fresh, Evergreen Herbs, and Evergreen Avocados since its establishment in 2020. The investment will help Agris deploy innovative agri-business practices to consistently and sustainably produce high-quality produce for local markets and consumers overseas. The investment was supported by legal teams from Charles Russell Speechlys, YKJ Legal, Anjarwalla & Khanna for AgDevCo, and Angeli Arora from Allectus Law for Agris. Agris, a subsidiary of Maris Ltd, offers investors a unique gateway to an integrated portfolio of high-performing agri-business operations.

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