Juhudi Kilimo is an enterprise that provides technical assistance and asset financing to medium and small sixed agro-businesses and smaller farmers throughout Kenya. Juhudi operations are mainly throughout the rural areas of Kenya. This gives smaller farmers the access to the resources and tools they need in order to succeed. Juhudi Kilimo invests in startups companies and work with them in order to make them major participates in the market. This helps develop the opportunities and networks for smaller farmers throughout rural Kenya. Juhudi uses a comprehensive approach in order to create long term gains in regards to productivity that helps promote economic growth.
Juhudi Kilimo’s business plan consists of establishing a for-profit enterprise that helps address market gaps by providing agriculture-based, innovative, and loan programs in order to assist smaller farmers throughout Kenya. Juhudi Kilimo helps smaller farmers with their productive assets such as chickens, irrigation equipment, and dairy cows. Juhudi Kilimo’s started with employees 78 employees. The company currently has between 100-250 employees (changemaker.com).
The social impacts of Juhudi Kilimo consist of their micro-asset financing programs. This programs create positive social impacts for the area. This is due to the fact that assets that are financed through Juhudi Kilimo produce a steady cash flow. These items consist of eggs or milk and reduce risk since the assets can also be used as collateral if the farmer happens to default. “The Juhudi Kilimo theory of economic change posits that economic development can be brought to rural Kenya by providing a growth path for rural smaller holder farmers, by leading from an initial wealth-creating asset to next-stage agribusinesses” (changemakers.com). Over the past five years, the program has disbursed approximately KShs 175 million ($2.2 million) to over 7,000 smaller farmers throughout Kenya.
The latest technology in rural Kenya consists of Airtel 3G services. This technology benefits these areas by proving faster internet connection. The individuals in this area can now enjoy video calls, television, and are able to download music and videos at a faster speed. Services are currently offered in the Northern side of Kenya, however, the rest of the country is expected to receive Airtel 3G services within the next 9-12 months. This helps people better access the resources and tools they need throughout the community in order to succeed in the market place (Tech Kenya News, 2016).
The local and global partners of Juhudi Kilimo are Ford Foundation, Soros Economic Development Fund, Acumen Fund, Rockefeller Foundation, and Grameen Foundation. They are Juhudi Kilimo’s major investors. They also consist of some of Juhudi Kilimo’s lenders. These companies and foundations are major supporters when it comes to the business operations of Juhudi Kilimo. They help support Juhudi Kilimo by supplying them with the tools and resources they need in order to assist smaller farmers throughout Kenya. Their lenders make it possible for them to economically help Kenya’s small holder farmers. These investors and lenders began supporting Juhudi Kilimo in 2012. Since then, Juhudi Kilimo has been able to reach profitability with the support of these global and local partners (B Corporation).
Works Cited
B Corporations. “Juhudi Kilimo.” B Corporations (2016). Retrieved on 22 March 2016, from <http://www.bcorporation.net/community/juhudi-kilimo>.
“Leveraging Business for Social Change: Building the Field of Social Business.” (n.d.). Retrieved on 22 March 2016, from <https://www.changemakers.com/socialbusiness/entries/juhudi-kilimo-rural-agriculture micro-asset-financing>.
Tech Kenya News. “Airtel 3G Services.” (2016). Retrieved on 22 March 2016, from <http://tken.blog.com/?p=195>.
