UK-Kenya Tech Hub & Future Females support women in AgriTech

In partnership with Future Females, the UK-Kenya Tech Hub will support 40 female entrepreneurs and their AgriTech businesses in a new programme. 

This growth will be facilitated by the adoption of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Patterns and the programme will also provide capacity enhancement for Green Business Development and Eco-Entrepreneurship in the Agricultural Sector.

Women lead AgriTech in Kenya

The partnership began in October 2020 and concentrated on facilitating entrepreneurial training for women in Kenya. Now, the partnership continues to excel with programmes addressing AgriTech.

The Kenyan agricultural sector is experiencing some difficulty, due to: 

• Insufficient storage 
• Poor market competition
• Slow productivity
• Expensive farm inputs
• Climate change causing unpredictable weather conditions

All across the planet, food systems are facing uncertainty due to warmer temperatures. This partnership is an opportunity to future-proof Kenya’s agricultural industry. 

The programme will also focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as:

• Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
• Goal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Goal 15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
• Goal 17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

A pilot programme has begun and this will focus on gender inclusion in Kenyan agricultural practices.

AgriTech challenges provide business opportunities in Kenya

Leaders are excited to see how this programme will expand the AgriTech industry in Kenya.

“The agriculture sector is plagued with low productivity, huge post-harvest losses and weak market linkages”, said UK-Kenya Tech Hub Country Director Sheena Raikundalia. “These challenges provide great business opportunities. The UK- Kenya Tech Hub is excited to support 40 female Kenyan AgriTech founders to grow their businesses – these fantastic women will be the future of food feeding in Kenya, Africa and the world.”

“Agriculture is so true to Africa”, Future Females Co-Founder, Cerina Bezuidenhout. “Food production was and will always be the most important and needed product in our existence. Being from Africa myself, and with a food scientist background, this program is very close to my heart. Future Females is incredibly excited to be working with the UK-Kenya Tech Hub to have the reach and impact to both different sectors of business, and helping women build profitable businesses to live a life they are excited and proud of.”