OUR INVESTIES TEST

Easy Solar is an innovative distributed energy service company that has presence in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. The company provides consumer financing for solar-powered products. With funding from AECF, Easy Solar is scaling up the distribution of solar products through the PAYGO model across all 15 Liberian counties.

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Green Gold Liberia (GGL) is a social enterprise that produces and distributes bio-briquettes, biogas, and biofuels while developing energy efficient cookstoves. With funding from AECF, GGL aims to scale up the provision of bio-briquettes at a financially competitive price as an environmentally sustainable alternative to charcoal.

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EcoPower distributes solar home systems and solar powered productive appliances and was the first company to introduce the PAYGO solar model in Liberia. With funding from AECF, EcoPower is scaling up its distribution of pico lights and solar home systems for households and productive solar solutions for SMEs.

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Green Cities Inc. is a social enterprise that carries out waste collection and sorting, buying and selling of recyclables, organic waste recycling, plastic and paper recycling, and electronic refurbishing and recycling. With funding from AECF, Green Cities Inc. is setting up Liberia’s first modern e-waste facility, reducing the volume of e-waste in Liberia while creating awareness on e-waste disposal in Monrovia, the country’s capital city.

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LIB Solar installs, finances, and maintains solar systems and solar powered appliances for rural communities. LIB Solar also offers upgraded home systems that include fans and TVs, and a business system that includes a commercial refrigerator. With funding from AECF, LIB Solar is expanding operations to more counties across the country especially in Liberia’s southeast, the poorest and most challenging region of the country, distributing more PAYGO solar products.

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SJedi Green Energy sells improved cookstoves across Liberia. The company also distributes small solar home systems and household appliances such as TVs, radio, lamps, ACs and fans. With funding from AECF, Sjedi Green Energy is establishing a PAYGO business model linked to the distribution of its solar products.

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Liberia Eco-Supply Ventures manufactures and distributes fuel-efficient stoves for school feeding programs, hospitals, hotels and restaurants in peri-urban and rural communities in Liberia. With funding from AECF, the company is setting up a manufacturing plant in Liberia to produce high quality efficient stoves that will lead to reduced annual cooking expenditure in homes and reduce deforestation.

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LEN TWO is a solar home system distributor that focuses its activities in the Firestone Plantation in Liberia. With funding from AECF, the company is distributing affordable, durable, and user-friendly, solar home systems to the families within the Plantation/Concession segment of the Firestone Plantation. LEN Two is also providing end user financing to ensure affordability of its solar products.

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HV WoodGas Technology Inc. is an operations and maintenance company that installs power plants and associated grid distribution networks in Liberia. With funding from AECF, the company is constructing, operationalising, and running a rubber wood-powered mini grid in Gboanipea village of Liberia.

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Africa Diamond Business SARL is a bioenergy producer which distributes butane gas to households in Bamako, the capital city of Mali. With funding from AECF, Africa Diamond Business SARL is producing ethanol stoves and popularizing the use of bioethanol in motorcycles in Mali’s peri-urban and rural areas by setting up an ethanol production factory and developing a stove assembly plant.

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KAMA SA designs, procures and builds complex power infrastructure and also operates rural electrification micro grids on a utility basis. With funding from AECF, KAMA SA is scaling up the distribution of solar home systems and productive solar systems targeting the households that cannot be reached through its microgrid networks in Mali. Read More

SEECO Mali SARL builds and operates micro grids in rural Mali. With funding from AECF, SEECO Mali SARL is building new solar micro grids while replacing diesel-powered ones with solar power to serve the rapidly expanding municipality of Ténéni.

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Katéné Kadji SARL designs, manufactures, and distributes energy efficient cook stoves in Mali. The company also undertakes last mile distribution of alternative clean cooking fuels. With funding from AECF, the company is introducing an ethanol stove and ethanol as a clean cooking alternative to urban and peri urban populations of Mali that predominantly use charcoal for cooking.

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FlexGrid Mali SARL builds, delivers and operates “decentralised” mini grids in Mali. With funding from AECF, FlexGrid Mali SARL aims to connect more households and small businesses in 50 villages in rural Mali to mini grids providing them with modern lighting solutions.

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Energy+ distributes solar products to underserved rural populations in Mali. With funding from AECF, Energy + is providing access to cheaper solar products while introducing flexible payment plans to meet the needs of poor rural communities.

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EMICOM SARL deploys back up solar systems and distributes productive power systems, notably solar irrigation systems. EMICOM SARL with funding from AECF is availing solar pumping kits to smallholder farmers in rural Mali.

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DOUN KA FA distributes high quality solar products to farmers and rural communities. With funding from AECF, DOUN KA FA is scaling up the distribution of solar home systems to the large but underserved populations of Koulikoro, Sikasso, and Ségou in rural Mali.

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Africa GreenTec Électrification Rurale Sarl (AGT-ER SARL) is a micro grid developer and currently operates microgrid sites of between 50kW and 100kW in Mali. With funding from AECF, AGT-ER SARL is scaling up its microgrids in the Kayes region of Mali, located Northwest of Bamako providing power to previously unserved households and productive power users.

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ACCESS SA is a micro-grid developer and currently operates microgrid sites of between 50kW and 100kW in Mali. With funding from AECF, ACCESS SA is scaling up the distribution of quality solar home systems and productive solar systems to rural communities that are not served by its microgrid networks.

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Energy and Services provides solar energy, conventional energy, refrigeration, and air conditioning services. The company also distributes solar inverters and batteries in Burkina Faso. With funding from AECF, Energy and Services is supplying more SMEs and households with stand-alone solar systems with power storage.

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SIPE (International Petroleum Equipment and Energy Company) undertakes solar installations for small enterprises, households, industries, NGOs and the local community. With funding from AECF, SIPE is installing more standalone solar systems in Ouagadougou targeting households and SMEs.

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Microsow SARL offers a wide range of solar energy services including the supply and installation of solar energy and pumping systems. The company also provides technical advisory services for monitoring and control of installations of solar energy. With funding from AECF, Microsow is installing back up solar kits to households and SMEs (mostly pharmacies) in Ouagadougou.

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Africa Energie Solaire (AES) undertakes backup solutions, solar installations for off grid customers, and provides productive power use in solar irrigation. With funding from AECF, AES is installing back up solar kits to households and SMEs in Ouagadougou with flexible payment plans thus making the units more accessible.

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Green Engineering Services (G.E.S) supplies and installs solar water pumping, solar irrigation and solar electrification systems. The company also promotes mobile pumping and solar water purification equipment, as well as solar mills. With funding from AECF, G.E.S is installing multifunctional platforms that consists of solar mills to crush cereals or produce shea butter and can also charge batteries and phones.

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BUY US Solar provides solar equipment such as solar panels, solar batteries, charge controllers, solar pumps and other solar accessories. The company also provides solar photovoltaic equipment installation and training services. With funding from AECF, BUY US Solar is distributing irrigation pumps to smallholder farmers in rural Burkina Faso.

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Qotto BF SARL distributes modular solar home systems (SHS) across Burkina Faso. With funding from AECF, the company is setting up new distribution centers across Burkina Faso and scaling up the distribution and installation capacity of the modular SHS.

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Nafa Naana provides access to improved wood, charcoal and gas stoves, solar lanterns, and solar home systems to households in Burkina Faso. With funding from AECF, the company is scaling up its PAYGO management platform to its affiliated distributors availing solar products to families in remote parts of Burkina Faso.

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Oolu is a PAYGO company that sells, installs, and maintains solar home systems for rural and peri-urban communities in Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Niger. With funding from AECF, Oolu is expanding its operations in Burkina Faso, reaching more clients with a wide range of solar products including productive-use systems.

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POCERAM focuses on the production of ceramics, where it produces improved cookstoves (ceramic stoves with refractory inserts) and terracotta bricks targeting peri urban and rural households. With funding from AECF, POCERAM is sustainably manufacturing and distributing energy efficient ceramic cookstoves to households in Burkina Faso ensuring that households reduce expenditure by up to 24.3%.

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Enterprise Eco Construction (EECS) promotes bio digesters and other related services. With funding from AECF, EECS is promoting the use of biogas in rural and peri-urban populations in Burkina Faso. The company is also targeting small businesses such as local restaurants that tend to use significant amounts of wood fuel.

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Sahelia Solar is an integrator of photovoltaic solar systems for residential, commercial, industrial, and rural applications. The company undertakes design, engineering, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of grid-connected and off-grid PV systems. With funding from AECF, the company is piloting mini grids in new locations availing reliable power to rural agricultural cooperative members, households and microenterprises.

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Celfre Energy Private Limited is a last mile distributor of solar water pumping systems. With funding from AECF, Celfre Energy is providing quality and affordable solar irrigation pumps to smallholder out-grower farmers and rural communities in Zimbabwe.

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Zambuko Trust is a developmental Microfinance Institution (MFI) that provides financial and non-financial services to urban, peri urban and rural populations across Zimbabwe. With funding from AECF, Zambuko Trust is offering affordable green loans for a range of solar assets including household lighting systems and solar pumps to rural households and small businesses in Zimbabwe.

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VIRL Financial Solutions is a developmental microfinance that targets smallholder farmers, micro and small enterprises in Zimbabwe. With funding from AECF, the company is reaching out to more rural households providing them with access to clean energy products at lower than market interest rates and flexible repayment terms.

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Regain 37 Pvt Ltd is a social enterprise that is bridging the digital divide through the provision of Pay as You Use solar powered e-learning tools while using solar home systems to light up classrooms. With funding from AECF, the company is powering more schools with solar systems while providing digital e-learning tools in all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe.

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Mobility for Africa provides green mobility solutions to rural communities using electric tricycles powered with renewable energy. With funding from AECF, Mobility for Africa is scaling up the sale of tricycles to small businesses which will go a long way in improving agricultural value chains in rural Zimbabwe while reducing drudgery for women.

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Goodbooks Investments imports and distributes home appliances, predominantly televisions and refrigerators reaching the most remote locations in Zimbabwe. With funding from AECF, the company is scaling up the distribution and sale of solar home systems reaching approximately 15% of female-headed households in Zimbabwe.

Elaine Marketing and Promotions Private Limited delivers banking products to the unbanked market primarily in rural areas. The company has recently diversified into the distribution of solar home systems which is now a key part of their portfolio. With funding from AECF, the company is scaling up the accessibility and affordability of modern solar home systems to households and businesses across Zimbabwe by availing these systems on credit.

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Natfort Energy undertakes solar Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) for on-grid and off grid applications in the household and commercial sector. The company has extended their product offering to become a last mile solar home system distribution partner in the rural and peri urban areas of Zimbabwe. With funding from AECF, Natfort Energy will lower the purchase price for low-income households thus allowing them immediate access to cleaner and renewable energy solutions.

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SOGEPAL Limitada is an improved cook stove and solar home system distributor. With funding from AECF, the company is distributing improved charcoal cook stoves and solar home systems solar home systems by availing flexible credit terms to poor rural and peri urban communities in Mozambique.

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Sociedade Algodoeira do Niassa JFS is a Mozambican cotton company that sells cotton, lint, and other derivatives. With funding from AECF, the company is availing solar home systems (SHS) to its large base of smallholder farmers in Cuamba, Niassa, ensuring that they are able to charge the sprayers that the farmers currently use.

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Pamoja Mocambique LDA is an integrated renewable energy company providing clean affordable cooking, lighting, and phone charging solutions. The company is introducing a smart cookstove in Mozambique and AECF funding is earmarked for the software development linked to this smart cookstove.

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Epsilon Energia Solar SA sells certified pico solar systems to off-grid families using the PAYGO model in Mozambique. With funding from AECF, the company is scaling up its distribution of the pico solar systems through the PAYGO model to reach Manica, Zambezia, Nampula, Gaza and Inhambane Provinces in Mozambique.

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SolarWorks is a solar home system distributor in Mozambique. With funding from AECF, SolarWorks is introducing solar home systems and water pumps to homes and smallholder farmers in the remote province of Nampula.

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Vera International distributes solar products and provides complementary services. Additionally, the company is engaged in export of agricultural goods, construction machinery and rental business. With funding from AECF, the company is supplying PAYGO-enabled large solar home systems (SHS) and productive use appliances across Ethiopia.

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United Friends Bio-Farm PLC (UFB) sources, processes, and packs fresh vegetables from smallholder farmers supplying them to high-end markets in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital city. With funding from AECF, UFB is introducing solar power irrigation equipment for individual smallholder farmers in Oromia region.

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Rensys Engineering imports and distributes solar products, it also designs, supplies and installs institutional solar systems and minigrids. With funding from AECF, the company is scaling up the distribution of solar home systems and solar irrigation pumps. Rensys Engineering is also setting up a point-of-sale shop with ICT service desk to better serve its customers.

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PEACE MFI is a deposit collecting and financial lending institution with branches across Ethiopia. With funding from AECF, the institution is availing affordable green loans to low-income households allowing them to purchase solar appliances and systems.

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Modify PLC is a professional engineering firm involved in the design, review, material supply, installation, and maintenance of building electrical and electromechanical systems. With funding from AECF, the company is venturing into the supply and installation of affordable solar energy products such as solar lighting products and solar powered irrigation pumps in Oromia and Amhara regions.

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Lydetco undertakes large scale design, supply and installation of solar photo voltaic and solar thermal systems. The company also manufactures solar cookers and sells solar lanterns and solar home systems. With funding from The AECF, Lydetco is availing solar products by scaling up its PAYGo program in Amhara, Oromia and Tigray regions of Ethiopia.

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Fosera Manufacturing PLC assembles and distributes affordable solar lighting products to off-grid areas of Amhara, SNNP and Oromia regions of Ethiopia. It carries out distribution of its products through retailers, SMEs, and Cooperatives. With funding from AECF, Fosera is building a solar light/appliance manufacturing plant in Ethiopia making solar products cheaper for rural and peri-urban communities.

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Anega Energies & Manufacturing PLC designs and manufactures fan-forced micro-gasifier cookstoves that use fuel pellets made from waste biomass such as coffee husks, khat stems, sawdust, woodchips, and other biomass waste. With funding from AECF, the company is selling stoves and pellets and buying back the charcoal that the stove generates to produce fertilizer, water and air filters.

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ACME Engineering & Trading PLC distributes solar home systems and implements institutional solar system projects in clinics and schools in partnership with the Ethiopian government. With funding from AECF, the company is supplying and distributing productive use solar charging packs, solar salon packs (hair cutters and mobile chargers) and solar home systems to off-grid areas of SNNP and Oromia regions of Ethiopia.

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A and H Development Solutions PLC manufactures and sells electric household cookstoves and firewood stoves and bread ovens for businesses and institutions. The company also produces firewood and charcoal stoves. With funding from AECF, A and H Development Solutions PLC is manufacturing and distributing ethanol and improved firewood cookstoves across Ethiopia.

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CEM Trading Ltd sells portable solar products to off-grid communities in rural Malawi. The AECF is working with CEM Trading Ltd to promote and sell affordable household solar solutions to rural homes using the PAYGO model.

RECAPO installs solar home systems on a PAYGO plan in rural and semi-urban households in Malawi. With funding from AECF, RECAPO is scaling up its solar home systems distribution to households across Malawi. RECAPO has acquired more equipment to extend its services to more districts, recruited and trained agents to service more communities, and implemented automated mobile money payment methods.

Zuwa  Energy is a Malawian company whose core business is selling solar home systems using PAYGO technology. With funding from AECF, Zuwa Energy is expanding its operations in Malawi which will enable the company to sell even more solar home systems on the PAYGO plan.

Zonful Enterprises provides solar home systems and income generating appliances to its customers on credit. The systems consist of solar panels, batteries and a broad range of appliances, including lights, radios, and televisions. With funding from AECF, Zonful is expanding its operations in Zimbabwe through expansion of the team, acquisition of solar home systems and building of storage centres.

WIDENERGY is a women-led enterprise focused on the last mile distribution of energy resources in rural and peri-urban areas in Zambia. With AECF funding, WIDENERGY has been able to scale up the distribution of its products, while upgrading their offer from pico solar products to solar home systems hence offering more capacity to households and businesses.

Vitalite offers a wide range of products in Zambia and Malawi, from solar home systems for rural and peri-urban households, to cooking products and solar powered water pumps for agricultural purposes. The business model is built on a PAYGO system. With AECF funding, Vitalite has been able to expand across two provinces in Zambia (Southern and Central provinces) and to provide solar home systems in these under-served markets. The investment also assisted in launching in a new market, Malawi, and establish a strong foundation through which they can provide affordable energy across all rural areas in this country.

MoneyMart Finance is a micro finance institution (MFI) offering micro-loans to micro-businesses in Zimbabwe. With funding from AECF, MoneyMart Finance is offering a solar home system (SHS) loan financial product at a lower interest to enable poor households in Zimbabwe to access solar home systems.

FINCOOP provides financial products and non-financial products to its members. FINCOOP also sells solar home systems to rural and peri-urban communities. The AECF is working with FINCOOP  to provide green loans to its members, while marketing solar home systems through radio adverts, roadshows, banners, newspaper adverts across Malawi.

EnerGen Wao provides small solar home systems to people living in rural and peri-urban communities in Sierra Leone. The company offers a PAYGO option to make it affordable for the poor through grassroots distribution, installation and service networks. With funding from AECF, EnerGen WAO is scaling-up operations to reach those at the bottom of the pyramid faster.

Value Seeds is a Nigerian seed research, multiplication and distribution company that partners with agricultural research institutes to commercialize agricultural technologies. The company provides seeds of field crops and vegetables and crop production solution kits to smallholder farmers. The AECF is working with Value Seeds to scale up its operations in Nigeria by reaching more smallholder farmers and upgrading its seed processing plant and seed laboratory.

ORUWERA Limitada produces, processes and supplies quality certified seed of maize, sorghum, sesame, groundnut, beans, soybean, cowpea and vegetable seeds. The AECF is working with ORUWERA to scale up the business to ensure more smallholder farmers in Nampula, Niassa and Cabo Delgado provinces in the northern region of Mozambique and Zambézia and Sofala provinces in the central region to access quality seed, at affordable package size and price. 

Multi Seeds Company Limited (MUSECO) is a private Malawian seed company that produces, distributes and markets high-quality basic and certified seed of government bred varieties of groundnuts, soybeans, beans, pigeon peas, cowpeas, orange fleshed maize, rice and sorghum for use by smallholder farmers. The AECF is supporting MUSECO to buy back seed from contracted out-growers, build warehouses and a seed processing facility, and set up a seed testing laboratory in Lilongwe.

Legacy Crop Improvement Centre (LCIC) is a Ghanaian company that produces and markets quality basic seed of hybrid maize and cowpea and provides consultancy services to stakeholders along the seed value chain. The AECF is working with LCIC to enhance cultivation of climate resilient, nutritionally enhanced hybrid seed maize and soybean in Ghana to combat food and nutrition insecurity and increase the incomes of smallholder farmers.

Beula Seeds is a Tanzanian company that undertakes seed production, seed packaging and distribution to small-scale farmers through networks of agro dealers, farmer groups, non-governmental organisations and government institutions. The company’s major seed crops are beans, vegetables and maize. The AECF is working wit Beula Seeds to boost its dry beans seed production and supply to smallholder farmers in Tanzania.

Afritec Seeds Ltd is a Kenyan company that develops hybrid rice. The high yielding rice is sold to small-scale farmers in Kenya. The AECF supported Afritec Seeds with the commercialization of the company allowing the company to ease into the Kenyan market while benefiting smallholder farmers in rice growing areas in Kenya.

Untu Microfinance provides credit to the unbanked and under-banked. Untu supports MSMEs across Zimbabwe. The AECF is working with Untu Microfinance to expand its client profile portfolio by financing smallholder farmers with agricultural loans.

Trandorm Enterprises has a Remote Livestock Marketing System (RLMS) which is an online marketing platform for livestock in Zimbabwe. Livestock farmers use the platform to send information about their herd and prospective buyers can view the animals on the website and respond with their bids. The AECF is working with Trandorm to set up high-tech sale centers across Zimbabwe enabling small-scale farmers to access key livestock markets.

Southcote Estates is a family owned company which is involved in the production of fingerlings and the growing out of fingerlings into pan-size fish for processing and sale onto the fresh/frozen market. They also purchase fish from fishermen on Lake Kariba which they then freeze and package for the Harare market. The AECF is working with SouthCote Estates project to increase the production of fingerlings for sale to commercial farmers and the growing out of fingerlings in farm ponds for the fresh/frozen market.

Sable Park Enterprises consists of two distinct operational units: a poultry growing section and a poultry abattoir. The AECF is working with Sable to upgrade its poultry processing plant with more automated in-line processing equipment as well as a spiral freezer. Sable is also increasing the capacity of its growing section to ensure consistent supply to the improved abattoir.

Peak Trading is a Zimbabwean grain trading company that specializes in procurement of rural produce for resale to agro-processors, SMEs, NGOs and the informal sector. The company buys at source from smallholders and operates a network of rural depots. The AECF is working with Peak Trading to establish mobile grain buying stations in rural Zimbabwe designed to address deficiencies in rural logistics and transport infrastructure in marginal grain producing areas.

B'Ayoba (Pvt) Limited is the first (and to date the only) dedicated baobab production, processing and marketing company in Zimbabwe. The AECF is working with B’Ayoba to introduce new processing technologies that will dramatically increase productivity, improve quality, reduce costs and lower the price of the final products to the end-consumers.

Ariston Holdings Limited is a Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) listed company that has a division known as Fruit & Vegetable Co-operative (“FAVCO”) which is a marketing body for deciduous fruit growers. The AECF is working with FAVCO to establish a banana out-grower scheme targeting rural smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe.

Yelo Egg is a joint venture between smallholders and Yelo in which Yelo are providing the point-of-lay pullets (POLs) and the smallholders are producing the eggs. Yelo is also supplying the necessary inputs and services to smallholders on an ongoing basis. The AECF supported the Yelo Egg project to provide point-of-lay (POL) chickens to 40,000 farmers/villagers. The farmers produce eggs and deliver them to a service centre, or collection point in the rural areas and villages and peri-urban centres where they are then marketed in major towns and cities.

TA Holdings Limited (TA) is an investment company that has interests in the hospitality, insurance,  agrochemical, asset management and distribution industries. The AECF supported TA Holdings to develop, launch and successfully market weather index insurance products to communal and small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe on a commercial basis.

Montana Meats Pvt Limited is a company that purchases cattle throughout Zimbabwe for direct slaughter and for feeding/fattening before slaughter. The AECF worked with Montana Meats to establish a feedlot to fatten cattle purchased from local farmers, which would thereafter be transported to the Masvingo abattoir for slaughter and processing.

IETC Zimbabwe started out as an agri-commodity trading company. The company has since developed a fully integrated supply chain model which grows and processes agri-commodities in Zimbabwe. The AECF supported IETC to build a soya bean processing plant and set up an out-grower scheme supporting smallholder farmers to produce soya beans to supply the processing plant.

Bulawayo Abattoirs purchases, feedlots, distributes and adds value to livestock and meat products. The company supplies most major retailers and many butcheries in Harare, Bulawayo and the Midlands and supplies by-products to tanneries and feed production factories. The AECF worked with Bulawayo Abattoirs to commercialize the selling, transport, slaughter and onward marketing and distribution of goats, ensuring better markets for farmers in remote rural areas.

African Century Financial Services, is a UK-based investment company. The AECF worked with African Century Financial Services to make lease finance available to agriculture and agro-processing businesses in Zimbabwe. This helped farmers’ access vital agricultural equipment and machinery.

Sondelani has been working with rural farmers for over 15 years and has devised programmes of engagement that have been refined over time. In 2006, Sondelani founded the Ebenezer Training Centre in the Kezi area, establishing a programme of agricultural training combined with key academic and basic business skills to assist rural residents to better equip themselves for farming. The AECF worked with Sondelani to establish a state of the art tomato processing plant in Bulawayo in Matabeleland. Sondelani contracted small scale farmers to grow high yielding tomatoes for the plant which produces pastes and tomato powder.

Produtrade (Pvt) Limited was established in 1995 as an agri-trading company with a seat on the ZIMACE (Zimbabwe Agricultural Commodities Exchange). Produtrade is the trading section of Progroup holdings;  being both a supplier and off-taker of local and imported commodities from the agro–processing sector. The AECF worked with Produtrade to establish a network of rural trading posts across maize growing areas of rural Zimbabwe.

Northern Farming (NF) secures and supports a large base of small scale and commercial farmers to grow food crops (maize, soya, wheat sugar bean) and seed crops (maize and soya). NF sells this produce to the domestic market. The AECF is working with NF to provide production and marketing support to smallholder and commercial farmers at affordable prices for the production of food crops. NF is also providing rural finance component, technical and development support, and inputs on credit (recoverable against produce sales).

Makera Cattle Company breeds pedigree Tuli cattle; the company is one of the leading players in the cattle industry in Zimbabwe. The AECF is working with Makera Cattle Project to make pedigree bulls available on loan to rural herds with the aim of breeding out inferior genes and in the process increase the quality and quantity of the rural herds. Makera buys back improved animals from farmers and fattens these in their feedlots.

Kencor Management Services produces high quality affordable open pollinated maize seed. The AECF worked with Kencor to establish “seed clubs” by grouping smallholders into viable units and working closely with them to ensure proper crop husbandry. Through this extension advice and provision of inputs, smallholders have been able to produce high quality, open pollinated, maize seed and become a regular supply base.

KAITE is a Zimbabwe company that undertakes production and processing of high value, certified essential oils, herbs, spices and medicinal plants. The AECF is supporting to increase its production of organically and Fair Trade certified essential oils, herbs and spices for export together with its out-growers.

Coopers Zimbabwe is a wholly owned Zimbabwe subsidiary of the Ecomed Group of companies that include Ecomark and Ecomed Manufacturing. Coopers are focused on offering affordable quality animal health products. The AECF is working with Coopers to set up retail stores across Zimbabwe from which Coopers’ Agents will sell animal health products.

Tamu Tamu grows apples and sells top quality disease resistant and virus-free apple seedlings which can thrive in tropical conditions. The AECF helped Tamu Tamu establish the first commercial apple orchard in Tanzania and to develop a community of apple growers.

Natural Extracts Industries Ltd (NEI) is as a social enterprise that accelerates economic development of smallholder farmers by adding value to their local crops. The AECF is working with Natural Extracts Industries to reach even more smallholder farmers and women’s groups in Tanzania, working alongside them to produce vanilla, cocoa nibs, turmeric powder and cinnamon powder.

mPedigree Network is a mobile-based brand protection company. It interfaces with manufacturers during packaging by putting special tamper-proof labels on retail packets hence curbing the purchase of counterfeit products. The AECF is working with mPedigree to reduce the sale of counterfeit or substandard seeds by providing a way of verifying seed packages across Tanzania.

Biobuu (The Recycler) is waste management company in Tanzania. Using collected organic waste, the company breeds an insect native to Tanzania, the Hermetia illucens or black soldier fly (BSF), and harvests larvae for protein to be fed to livestock. The AECF is working with BioBuu to promote and commercialize the insect-derived protein as a feed supplement for livestock and undertake multiplication of black soldier fly through smallholder poultry farmers.  

Sibesonke Limited is an agriculture trading and CRM platform company that solves major issues in the Tanzanian agricultural market. The AECF is supporting Sibesonke Limited to overcome inefficiency in the market by introducing a new trading and CRM platform that has a built-in reverse billing option that allows for the dissemination of product information, and application guides without the farmers having to pay for it.

Equity for Tanzania (EFTA) is a finance company that offers machine leasing to small enterprises. The company focuses on less formal customers or those with limited collateral whose needs are not served by commercial banks. The AECF is working with EFTA to establish permanent infrastructure and institutional capacity to work with agricultural buyers to expand access to small and rural farmers. This will be achieved through off-taking schemes for equipment which reduce repayment risk.

DSM Corridor Group (DCG) offers full logistics solutions to a wide range of clients. As a cargo handler specialized in non-liquid dry bulk and general cargo, the company is involved in the handling for instance of fertilizer, cereals, sugar, coal and clinker. The AECF is supporting DCG to be the main logistics and transport hub for all logistical needs for agricultural products in Kisarawe, about 36 km from Dar es Salaam, the economic capital of Tanzania.

YYTZ Agro-Processing is a cashew processing company that exports high quality cashew nuts. The company selects high quality raw cashews from across Tanzania. The AECF is working  with YYTZ Agro-Processing to modernize its cashew nut processing facility and  improve its outgrower programme that consists of smallholder farmers.

Real IPM is a Kenyan biological control company that produces biopesticides for use on tomatoes and french beans. The AECF is supporting Real IPM to expand its business and products into  neighbouring Tanzania focusing on biopesticides for rice and non-export vegetables.

Ruaha Farms (Tanzania) Limited is focused on exploiting the honey and beekeeping potential of Tungamalenga stream and the surrounding Ruaha forest. The AECF is working with Ruaha Farms Limited project purpose is to create modern beehives for RFL and distributing some for the villagers on a ‘free-on-loan’ agreement. The villagers would later sell the honey to RFL, repay their debt and consequently improve their income and livelihood.

Rogimwa Agro Company Ltd is an agricultural inputs company that supplies fertilizers, improved seeds, pesticides, herbicides and other agricultural small equipment. The company also provides agricultural mechanization services, such as tractor and power-tiller services. The AECF is working with Rogimwa Agro Company to enhance the company's inputs distribution base, while improving small-scale farmers' access to financial services.

Regina Seeds supplies high quality OPV and hybrid seeds across Tanzania. The AECF is working with Regina Seeds to expand and reach grassroots smallholder farmers in Tanzania with hybrids and technology. Through demonstration fields, managed by individual farmers, Regina Seeds is introducing their hybrid vegetable seeds to provide food security and enable farmers to substantially increase their incomes.

Olivado EPZ Ltd. (Olivado) is the world’s largest supplier of organic fair trade avocado oil. The company successfully runs a fair-trade organic outgrower scheme of farmers in Kenya. The AECF is supporting Olivado to add value to avocado in Tanzania by establishing a crude avocado oil production facility that will source its inputs from smallholder farmers in Njombe and Rungwe districts.

Novel Vaccines and Biological Company Ltd (NOVABI) invests in knowledge and innovations to improve the lives of rural poor people. The company is availing livestock vaccines for smallholders targeting Newcastle disease, Fowlpox and Infectious coryza. The AECF is working with Novel to produce an affordable, safe, easily stored and transported easy-to-use vaccine to improve poultry health and productivity, thus contributing to increased food availability, nutritional security, and the income of small-scale poultry keepers.

Mruazi Heifer Breeding Unit Limited is a commercial company committed to the improvement of the heifer and breeding bull production quality in Tanzania. The AECF is working with Mruazi Heifer Breeding Unit Limited to put in place the necessary infrastructure to increase the output of animals, thereby increasing the quality of the heifers and the breeding bulls. This will not only directly benefit the company, but also the local community.

Mgolole Agro-Processing Co. Limited is a family owned business that owns a 15 ha cattle farm in Mgolole village in Morogoro Municipality of Tanzania. The AECF is working with Mgolole Agro-Processing to produce and sell quality heifers to farmers in Morogoro region. The company will achieve this by adopting and using improved breeding methods, utilizing locally available feed resources supplemented with innovative feeding techniques, forming mutually beneficial and sustainable partnerships with financial institutions, smallholder farmers, milk processing companies and other stakeholders along the dairy value chain.

Meru Agro-Tours & Consultants Co. Ltd (MATCC) is a local private company based in Arusha, Tanzania which specializes in the agricultural inputs business. The company markets, distributes and retails agro-seeds, agrochemicals, agricultural equipment, and provides technical advisory services on farm input use and management. The AECF is working with MATCC to support seed production operations, improve marketing to farmers and development of distribution network in rural and urban areas.

Live Support Systems is a Tanzanian company that specializes in oxygen and nitrogen gas production and distribution, soil analysis, artificial insemination, fertilizer blending and veterinary services. The company is setting up a fertilizer blending plant in Tanzania. The AECF is supporting Live Support Systems to manufacture custom-made blended fertilizer suitable for maize farming and ammonia/urea fertilizer suitable for rice farming.

Lima Ltd was the largest cherry and parchment coffee buyer in Tanzania. In 2013 all assets related to the coffee production were sold, except for Elton farm (175 ha) which remains the sole business of the company where a macadamia tree plantation is being established. The AECF is working with Lima to support farmers financially and logistically to gain access to the macadamia market that is otherwise inaccessible to them.

Kokoa Kamili arose out of an identified gap in the Tanzanian cocoa sector - despite the inherent quality of Tanzanian cocoa, existing buyers were not focused on exporting a high quality bean for use in the premium chocolate sector. The company has a premium cocoa fermentary and drying operation in Morogoro. The AECF is working with Kokoa Kamili to expand its fermentation and drying processes while increasing local production through smallholder cocoa farmers. This will enable Kokoa Kamili to sell larger volumes of the highest quality Tanzanian cocoa to premium chocolate manufacturers in the United States, Europe, and Asia, while improving incomes for its suppliers.

Grand Apiaries exports niche agricultural products such as honey, African beeswax, and Baobab fruit powder from Tanzania to clients throughout the world. The company’s standing orders from clients in the EU and US have recently expanded to include Baobab leaf powder, Baobab seed oil, Baobab leaf oil and Baobab seed cakes. The AECF is working with Grand Apiaries to upgrade its equipment and machinery enabling the diversification of its products. The AECF is also helping the company to acquire organic and fair trade certification which would allow it to enter new markets.

Dorfra Trading Company Limited procures and processes rice, maize and ground nuts in Tanzania. The AECF is working with Dorfra to increase production and quality of rice sold locally and outside Tanzania by scaling up its contract farming model by incorporating more paddy small farmers' groups based in Kahama.

Beth Equisolutions Company Limited (BECL) is a private limited company that engages in improved cultivation of horticultural produce such as onions, tomatoes, watermelon, pepper and black peas among others. The AECF worked with BECL to operationalize its inclusive business model by expanding smallholder horticulture production through use of modern irrigation schemes and post harvest processing innovation.

Aminata Quality Seeds is a Tanzanian seed company that produces, processes and distributes quality seed of improved maize varieties and other minor crops with related extension support to smallholder farmers. The AECF is working with Aminata Quality Seeds to produce, process and avail quality seeds of its new maize hybrids that are high yielding and drought resistant.

Alpha Seed Company Limited produces, distributes and markets high-quality seed. The AECF is working with Alpha Seed to deploy modern technology to coat vegetable seeds to enhance seed viability, to boost germination and to colour-code the seeds as a unique way to fight counterfeit seeds.

AKM Glitters Company Limited (AKMG) is a Tanzanian company that trades and promotes economically viable smallholder chicken farming business in rural Tanzania. The AECF is working with AKM Glitters to improve and expand its existing operations by setting up a modern poultry farming and processing plant while improving extension services targeting smallholder chicken farmers.

Agriseed Technologies Ltd. (AgriTech) is a private company incorporated in Tanzania that produces maize, sorghum, rice and sunflower certified seeds, which it produces through contract growers and sold through agro-dealers. The AECF is working with Agriseed Technologies to introduce soybean seed in the Tanzania market. Agriseed is working on a multiplication/distribution system to reach small-scale farmers.

Africasia Seed Company Ltd produces OPV seeds of tomato, cucumber, capsicum, African eggplant, amaranthus, okra, pigeon peas and maize through outgrowers. The AECF is working with Africasia Seed to accelerate commercialization in new crops and widen its portfolio.

Darsh Industries Limited is a Tanzanian company that runs tomato-processing operations where it produces high quality tomato-based sauces, ketchups, and pastes. The AECF is working Darsh Industries Limited to provide extension services to farmers. These services will improve the quality and quantity of tomatoes through promotion of good agricultural practices.

NASECO is a leading producer and distributor of improved maize and bean seeds to smallholder farmers in the Great Lakes Region. The AECF is working with NASECO to expand to new markets, notably the whole of Burundi and selected zones of Eastern DRC. NASECO intends to replicate its unique approach that it has honed in Uganda to these new markets.

Nedoil is a Sierra Leonean company that sustainably produces organic fair-trade palm oil. The company has marketing subsidiaries in the US and the Netherlands. The AECF is working with Nedoil to introduce the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), boost the organic palm and palm kernel oil production by improving the company's logistical and milling capacity, establish an out grower network of smallholder farmers, and produce organic fertilizer from the waste generated from milling.

AgroFair trades in organic certified bananas, pineapple, citrus and mango primarily in the European market. The fruits are sourced mainly from Southern American countries, but limited quantities are imported from Senegal, Ghana, Morrocco, South Africa and Ivory Coast. With funding from AECF, Agrofair is improving its banana production in Senegal through the introduction of sprinkler irrigation systems and organic fertilizers for farmers while improving post-harvest processing and packaging of the bananas to enable entry into better rewarding markets.

Hills Global Projects Limited (HGPL) is a Nigerian agribusiness development and farming company. The company runs a consulting operation, a project implementation business and a small grass cutter farm. The AECF is supporting Hills Global Projects to scale up its grass-cutter farm, and engage smallholder outgrower farmers in producing sweet potato, which is processed into flour and chips and sold across Nigeria.

Eco Fuels Kenya (EFK) is the world’s first and only croton nut processing company committed to sustainable agribusiness development. The company sources croton megalocarpus nuts from small-scale farmers processing the nuts into croton nut oil, croton seedcake and organic fertilizers. The AECF is working with Eco Fuels Kenya to diversify its products by introducing organic soap made from croton oil for the local and international market.

Zvikomborero Farms is an agricultural company with farming operations specializing in livestock, horticulture, egg production and forage. The farm undertakes stud breeding of Thuli, Mashona and Boran cattle and Boer and Kalahari goats. The AECF supported Zvikomborero Farms to purchase their nucleus herds of stud breeds and goats from South Africa and Namibia, thus transforming the cattle and goat value chains in Zimbabwe.

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Stewards Globe Limited (SGL) markets improved seed varieties of maize and legume crops like soya bean, cowpeas, groundnuts, and beans. The company sells seeds under its “AFRISEED” brand to farmers through a network of agro dealers, Government, NGOs and cooperatives. The AECF is working with Stewards Globe to scale up crop diversification through seed production and marketing of non-maize seed crops in Zambia including groundnuts, common beans, soya bean, sunflower and rice. 

Peacock Enterprises produces and markets certified seeds in the Malawian market. The company has a seed processing and treatment plant, a production farm and markets maize hybrid seed varieties. The AECF is working with Peacock Enterprises to set up an out grower network of small-scale farmers to grow a variety of cereals and legume seeds while helping the company expand its warehousing facility in Salima.

Out-Growers is an international company founded in 2012 in Denmark and 2015 in Tanzania. The company acts as a market pivot providing traceable and premium quality cashews to local and international markets as well as a fair and secured price to farmers. The AECF is supporting Out-Growers to better integrate farmer groups in Tanzania's Mkinga district  into the cashew value chain through the establishment of farmer-owned warehouse and processing facilities.

Kilifi Moringa Estates processes Moringa seeds to obtain oil, a commodity that is used in the cosmetics and personal care industries. Moringa leaf is utilized as a nutrition supplement and is popular in the health markets. The AECF supported Kilifi Moringa Estates to contract outgrower farmers in Kilifi County of Kenya connecting the rural poorest to the global supply chain for both Moringa leaf and seed products.

C. Dorman Ltd, was founded in 1950 and continues to be one of the region’s preeminent exporters of coffee. The company supports coffee farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. C. Dorman has replicated its Kenyan coffee milling and export activities in Rwanda by bringing in their expertise and value creation in this new market. The AECF has supported C. Dorman to become a well-established exporter of certified high quality Arabica coffee from Rwanda while better incorporating women in the coffee value chain in the country.

Smart Farmer Africa Limited is the publisher of Smart Farmer magazine in Kenya. The magazine has carved out a niche as a reliable source of farming news and other agri-related content in Kenya. The AECF is supporting Smart Farmer to scale up the production and reach of the magazine while improving its digital presence through an improved website and the Smart Farmer app.

Reliance is a non-bank financial institution in The Gambia. The Company offers a broad range of financial services such as savings, loans, remittances, retail foreign exchange and business development and advisory services to micro, small and medium enterprises as well as private individuals in The Gambia. The AECF is working with Reliance to deploy an innovative approach to rural banking using a combination of mobile banking retailers and emerging technologies reaching unbanked populations in the country. Furthermore, Reliance is introducing an agri-business lending portfolio that will offer loans to farmers linked to out-grower schemes in the horticultural value chain.

Mocambique Organicos (MO) produces packs and markets organic horticultural crops (chillies, baby corn, beans and potatoes). The company also purchases fruits (pineapple, mango, tangerines) from smallholder farmers. The AECF is supporting Mocambique Organicos to establish a fruit (mango, banana, papaya, guava, etc.) and coconut supply chain targeting remote rural areas in Inhambane, Mozambique where local smallholder farmers will be connected to local and international fruit markets.

Josiche General Traders sources and procures grains and raw materials for animal feed in Kenya and beyond, selling them to some of Kenya's major food and animal feeds processing companies. The company also buys soya beans from farmers in western Kenya, Uganda and Malawi, supplying to its customers in Kenya. The AECF is working with Josiche General Traders to encourage small-scale farmers to embrace soya bean farming as an alternative to the cultivation of maize and beans.  

iShamba™ is a mobile agriculture information service aimed at improving the livelihoods of farmers across Kenya by providing an SMS and call service for smallholder farmers through a subscription model. The AECF is supporting iShamba to maneuver the fast changing digital environment by trialing a new business model that would see a premium version of the service being provided to smallholder farmers.

Best Tropical Fruits Ltd., is a Kenyan company that processes high quality mango, avocado, banana, pawpaw, citrus, tomatoes and other highly nutritious fruits which are purchased from resource poor smallholders in Central and Eastern Kenya. The AECF is supporting Best Tropical Fruits to establish a high value mango extension service and associated contract farming within Machakos County with the objective of improving both farmer yields and quality.

AACE Food Processing and Distribution Ltd. is a Nigerian company established in November 2009. The company processes, packages and distributes food made from fruits, herbs, vegetables and cereals. AACE's product line consists of spices, spreads, and sauces. The AECF is supporting AACE to further develop its supply chain, purchase higher capacity equipment, and roll-out its complementary food products across Nigeria.