NAIROBI, KENYA — Early-stage Kenyan agritech startup Farm to Feed has secured a $171,000 (€150,000) funding round from Proparco, the private-sector financing arm of the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement).
The investment aims to accelerate the deployment of Farm to Feed’s digital B2B platform, expand its smallholder outgrower network, and scale its value-added food processing operations designed to monetize surplus and imperfect harvests.
Key Transaction & Impact Metrics
| Metric / Parameter | Details |
| Company | Farm to Feed |
| Investor | Proparco (AFD Group) |
| Funding Size | $171,000 USD (€150,000) |
| Core Operational Goal | Cut post-harvest food waste, improve supply chain transparency, boost smallholder incomes |
| Active Network | 5,500+ registered farmers; 160+ B2B buyers (hotels, schools, hospitals, processors) |
| Key Metrics | 249% increase in farmer incomes; 81% drop in on-farm food loss |
Solving Sub-Saharan Africa’s $50\%+$ Food Loss Crisis
Across sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 50% of harvested fruits and vegetables are lost or wasted before ever reaching a end consumer. This massive inefficiency is driven by fragmented supply chains, unpredictable buyer demand, poor cold-chain infrastructure, and strict cosmetic standards that force farmers to discard imperfect or surplus produce.
Founded in 2021 by Claire van Enk, Anouk Boertien, and Zara Benosa, Farm to Feed provides a data-driven solution that connects fragmented smallholder supply directly with institutional demand.
The company operates a tech platform encompassing sourcing, demand forecasting, logistics, warehousing, and digital payments. By offering farmers clear visibility into real-time market requirements and guaranteeing rapid settlement within days—rather than weeks—the model dramatically stabilizes rural livelihoods.
“Africa’s population is expected to nearly double by 2050. That growth represents an enormous economic opportunity, but we need to build the food systems to support it now. Farm to Feed was built to address that fragmentation. Proparco’s investment allows us to accelerate this work, creating more value for farmers, reducing waste, and unlocking the economic opportunity of Africa’s growth.”— Claire van Enk, Founder & CEO of Farm to Feed
Monetizing Surplus: “Grade Rescue” and Value Addition
Unlike traditional produce aggregators that only buy top-tier “Class A” produce, Farm to Feed adopts a full-harvest purchase model:
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Grade Rescue Line: Commercializes off-spec, “ugly,” or surplus produce by re-channeling it to price-sensitive institutional buyers, feeding programs, and processors at accessible prices.
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Ready to Use Line: Extends produce shelf life through light processing (such as peeling, slicing, and concentrating) to create commercial food inputs for domestic and export markets.
This approach allows farmers to monetize up to 100% of what they grow, while B2B customers secure a reliable, lower-cost supply chain.
Strong Trajectory & DFI Backing
Farm to Feed has demonstrated high commercial and operational traction:
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Triple-Digit Growth: More than 100% year-on-year growth for three consecutive years.
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Customer Satisfaction: Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 92.
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Expansion: Expanding footprints outside Nairobi into broader regional farming corridors across Kenya.
For Proparco, this ticket represents a broader strategy to back gender-inclusive climate-tech and agritech businesses across emerging markets.
“Food loss is a major challenge for climate, food security, and farmers’ livelihoods alike. By supporting Farm to Feed’s growth ambitions, Proparco is backing an innovative business model that provides tangible solutions to these challenges. This investment fully reflects our strategy of supporting innovative companies that combine economic performance with environmental impact and the inclusion of smallholder farmers—on top of being founded by strong women entrepreneurs.”— Fabrice Perez, Head of Financial Institutions & Innovation Division at Proparco
