10 Kenyan firms win Sh380m USAid funding for innovations

The grants and technical support are provided under the KIE, a $17 million initiative launched in 2012. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • USAid is providing the money through its Feed the Future Kenya Innovation Engine Initiative (KIE) that demonstrated ability to transform simple agriculture initiatives into valuable projects in the country.

Ten Kenyan innovators have won funding worth Sh380 million from the US Agency for International Development (USAid) aimed at improving agriculture-based innovations.

The agency is providing the money through its Feed the Future Kenya Innovation Engine Initiative (KIE) that demonstrated ability to transform simple agriculture initiatives into valuable projects in the country.

The beneficiaries include Lachlan Kenya Ltd, Wanda Organic Ltd, the Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN), Indicus East Africa Ltd, Takaful Insurance of Africa Ltd, and Value Farms Ltd. Others are Kenya Biologics Ltd, Amtech Technologies Ltd, Kenya Livestock Marketing Council (KLMC) and iProcure Ltd.

The agency said such projects play a key role in enhancing economies in individual households while at the same time reducing poverty levels and improving food security among communities.

“Following various vetting processes, six of these pilot roll-out grants have already been made and the Innovation Engine is poised to grant funding and technical assistance to an additional four advanced innovations,” Karen Freeman, the mission director at the US Embassy said.

The grants and technical support are provided under the KIE, a $17 million initiative launched in 2012 with the intention of reducing poverty, and improving socio-economic standards among different communities in Kenya.

The five-year programme identifies and scales up food innovative initiatives.

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