Technology

Technology jump-starts new businesses

Limited awareness and knowledge. Lack of upfront investment. Rural distribution challenges.

These are but a few of the barriers to technology adoption in East Africa. That’s where Village Enterprise comes in with innovative initiatives that disseminate pro-poor technologies to those most in need. For example, we can provide farmers with light-weight, manually-operated mills in lieu of seed capital grants. These grinders (designed by Compatible Technology International) allow business owners to provide grinding services to others, while those with access to their own crops can grind and package groundnut paste and nutritious flour mixes for sale, gaining important year-round income. We also provide farmers with human-powered pumps in lieu of seed capital grants. These pumps (designed and manufactured by KickStart) address many of the inefficiencies and limitations of bucket irrigation, while providing more frequent and reliable irrigation water (in less time), dramatically improving crop production.

Our Entrepreneurs

Read about The Shisele Business Group in Kenya and their success with foot powered water pumps…

Read their story…

Pump Program Highlights

Non-cash asset transfer: KickStart foot-operated irrigation pumps, hoses, seeds and fertilizer (in lieu of a $150 grant)
Specialized agricultural and pump training built into business curriculum
Small farmers directed into crops with greatest profitability
Weekly Field Officer coaching on agricultural best practices and market linkage

Pump Impact to Date

245 water pump businesses started since October 2009
1,050 farmers trained on pump irrigation, business skills and farming techniques
Increased yields of high-value crops
Creation of a stable income flow, especially during the once-idle dry season
Generation of Co-op Savings Funds to purchase seeds, fertilizers and pesticides in bulk for the next planting cycles