Devenish has announced a $2.25 million investment in Kenyan company, Sidai Africa Ltd, which supplies crop and livestock services to farmers throughout Kenya with a unique ‘last-mile’ delivery service model. This enables the company to reach some of the country’s most remote areas.
In Africa, up to a quarter of livestock dies each year due to preventable diseases. By improving access to livestock products and services, Sidai helps farmers keep their herds healthy, which in turn helps increase income and financial security.
The investment by Devenish will enable Sidai to further expand its distribution network, launch new products and reach even more farmers across Kenya.
Founder of Sidai, Dr Christie Peacock, said: “Sidai was established in 2011, with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Farm Africa, to help improve sustainable agriculture in Kenya.
“From a standing start, we’ve grown significantly over the past eight years and now have 11 stores, 87 franchisees, and directly employ over 120 people.Our mission is to enable every small-scale farmer in Kenya to produce food in a predictable and profitable way, and this investment will help us to achieve our goals.”
Devenish said the investment is part of its ambitious long-term growth strategy in emerging markets.
Peter Wallace, Devenish’s executive vice-chairman, said: “We’re thrilled to announce our investment in Sidai. As a business, we are particularly focused on sustainable farming and food production and this new partnership will enable us to make a difference by improving the livelihood of small-scale farmers across Kenya.”
