Supporting Kenyan fish farmers to build their businesses

04 July 2016

A new partnership will help Farm Africa build on the success of our work in the aquaculture sector in western Kenya.

Working with SCOPEinsight, Farm Africa will assess the professionalism of fish farming businesses, evaluate the progress of the project so far and identify which businesses need further investment. With more in-depth knowledge of the businesses in the aquaculture sector, Farm Africa will be able to scale up successful interventions and help even more farmers flourish.

Farm Africa has been working with fisheries since 2011, supporting fish farmers to increase their yields and incomes. But to enable fish farmers to access the best markets for their produce, it’s also important to invest in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that act as both suppliers of inputs and aggregation centres, selling fish in bulk to high-value markets.

For the aquaculture sector to reach its potential, it’s vital that these businesses get the financial support that they need to grow, so that they can continue to help small farmers build their incomes. Farm Africa and SCOPEinsight’s assessment of over 200 ‘first-mile’ businesses will enable us to invest wisely, so that the sector can develop a healthy and vibrant market.

Geoffrey Nyamota, Farm Africa’s Head of Market Engagement, welcomed the partnership: “Working with a credible and innovative partner such as SCOPEinsight enables us to make informed decisions on how to build the capacity of SMEs and smallholder farmers organised in groups.”

“We’re delighted to count Farm Africa as our valuable and reputable partner” said Lucas Simons, founder and CEO of SCOPEinsight. “Farm Africa’s longstanding experience of working with rural Africa and its commitment to helping farmers gain access to markets so they can increase production, improve their lives and build sustainable businesses is very much in line with SCOPEinsight’s mission to advance farmer professionalism in emerging economies."