Kenyan farmers to benefit from additional BII funding
KENYA – British International Investment (BII) has invested an additional US$4 million into SunCulture, further supporting sustainable farming initiatives in Kenya.
The funding, announced on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, aims to expand access to solar-powered irrigation systems for smallholder farmers.
The latest investment builds on BII’s previous commitment of US$1.7 million to SunCulture in 2023, which enabled 9,000 farmers to access affordable irrigation. With this new funding, the company expects to assist 16,000 more smallholders.
“This financing will further support an innovative carbon finance system, which reduces the upfront costs of these schemes, making them more financially accessible,” BII stated.
Many small-scale farmers in Kenya still rely on fuel-powered irrigation, which is costly and harmful to the environment.
SunCulture’s solar-powered systems offer an alternative that reduces water consumption by 80% while helping farmers increase productivity.
Kenya’s agriculture sector faces growing difficulties due to unpredictable weather patterns. Water shortages have made traditional farming methods less reliable, prompting a shift towards more sustainable solutions.
SunCulture’s initiative aligns with Kenya’s efforts to strengthen food security. By providing affordable irrigation options, more farmers will be able to cultivate crops throughout the year, reducing dependency on seasonal rainfall.
Expansion in Côte d’Ivoire
BII has also announced a separate investment of US$15 million in Valency International to support cashew processing in Côte d’Ivoire. The funding, disclosed on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, will finance a newly opened facility in Attingue.
The processing plant, which began operations on January 27, has a capacity of 45,000 metric tonnes. Additionally, part of the investment will go toward converting cashew shells into biochar and biofuels.
“The additional capital will support Valency’s financing needs for its new 45,000-tonne cashew processing plant, as well as the development of a new bioproducts plant,” BII noted.
The project is expected to strengthen agricultural value chains by creating 2,000 jobs, most of which will be held by women. It will also provide 50,000 smallholder farmers with better access to fair trade markets.
With this latest funding, BII’s total investment in Valency International now stands at US$30 million. In December 2023, the company secured US$15 million from BII to expand operations in Nigeria, including the construction of food processing and warehousing facilities.
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