Crops

Gardeners from Botswana sell produce at Shoprite's event

Shoprite Group provided a profitable platform for growers. (Image source: Shoprite)

Community gardeners from Botswana came together to leverage one of the region's influential retail platform to sell their vegetable produce at Shoprite Gaborone and Checkers Airport Junction Centre in Market Day

Working for the cause of food security in southern Africa, Shoprite Group provided a profitable platform for growers from more than 300 community gardens in the country.

“This year Market Day provided almost 60 gardeners and co-operatives across South Africa, Namibia and Botswana with the opportunity to sell their fresh produce directly to the public, gain retail experience and strengthen the roots of small businesses that feed their communities,” said Sanjeev Raghubir, chief sustainability officer at the Group. “Customers stocked up on local peppers, spinach, parsley and many other vegetables and fruits, met the small-scale farmers and learned about their sustainable growing methods and in some instances, even purchased seedlings for their own home gardens.”

Adams Eden, which participated at the event, offers trees and seedlings at discounted prices to foster sustainability. Tree cultivation besides, the nursery is also actively tapping into crop production to address the local demand for fresh vegetables. Operating since 2021, its vision is to make Botswana green.

“Through our participation in Market Day, we gained confidence in sharing our story and explaining our growing techniques, while understanding what customers value most,” said Lerato Bwire, the founder and operator of Adams Eden.

The platform also advances skills transfer across customer relations, communication, pricing, product presentation and record-keeping, among other things.

“For each community gardener taking part in Market Day, there is a story both of individual circumstance and a pathway towards a more grounded and food secure life rooted in the soil,” said Raghubir. “The power of this day is in taking this a step further by facilitating market entry with skills training.”

Alongside Market Day, the Shoprite Group also drives the Act For Change programme to support local community gardens. “It’s exciting to see the seeds we help sow within our communities grow and flourish,” said Raghubir. “We are proud to champion the heroes of Southern African gardens and small farms, who nourish their communities and their future through their own dedication and hard work.”

IDH Farmfit Fund to support Kenya's smallholder farmers

Structuralising capital for rural lending is the need of the hour.

Kenya's smallholder agriculture industry will be supported with private-sector local currency securitisation led by anchor investor, IDH Farmfit Fund, with the transaction structured by Kaleidofin in partnership with agri-finance company Apollo Agriculture

Structuralising capital for rural lending is the need of the hour, and the currecy securitisation move will generate smallholder finance with the development of institutional credit markets. Approximately US$2.1mn has been mobilised through Apollo Agriculture to secure smallholder farmer credit in Kenya for agricultural inputs. About 51% of the 23,839 smallholder farmers covered by the portfolio are women, while 22% are first-time borrowers.

“This transaction demonstrates how innovative financial structures can unlock capital for smallholder farmers at scale,” said Roel Messie, CEO of IDH Investment Management, which manages the IDH Farmfit Fund. “Building investable opportunities in agriculture requires both capital and enabling infrastructure, and this partnership brings those elements together.”

Kaleidofin’s ki platform that caters to underserved segments by converting granular agricultural loans into investable securities in local currency, materialised the securitisation.

Apollo Agriculture leverages ki's AI-driven risk intelligence system in assessing creditworthiness. Apollo focuses on supporting farmers who does not have a background in credit.

“This is a meaningful step in building efficient, scalable funding for smallholder agriculture and validates our tech-enabled business model,” said Eli Pollak, CEO of Apollo Agriculture. “By converting receivables into working capital, we are able to lower our cost of funds and expand access to affordable, local currency financing for farmers.”

Solar-powered irrigation to support Somalian communities

Women, youth and farmers will be espcially supported by the project.

Gode in Somali region has been selected by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for a solar-powered irrigation scheme to sustain year-round food production and empower drought-prone communities to weather climate shocks

Defined as 'Climate proofing food security in Ethiopia’s drought prone lowland areas' or IFTIIN, the project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank.

IFTIIN, which signifies 'light' or 'hope' in the Somali language, has been designed to support 17,000 pastoral and agro-pastoral families spanning several woredas in the Somali region. Women, youth and farmers will be espcially supported by the project in line with national priorities. Beneficiaries will get increased water access and support for crop and livestock production. Multiple income streams will open up for families and local institutions will be empowered to support communities in managing climate shocks.

“WFP’s vision in Ethiopia is to support the Government’s shift toward resilient, self-reliant food systems,” said Zlatan Milisic, WFP representative and country director in Ethiopia. “By working closely with government institutions, we are strengthening national systems and embedding resilience approaches that are community-led and locally owned. Through IFTIIN, we are investing in irrigation, markets and livelihoods so communities can absorb climate shocks and reduce long-term reliance on humanitarian assistance. Today’s inauguration is that strategic vision in action.”

South African avocado producer partners with Alfa Laval

Ecovado's plant will be driven by the Alfa Laval processing line.

A South Africa-based agroprocessing company called Ecovado has launched an avocado oil processing plant in Vhembe, Limpopo, in collaboration with global heat exchanger manufacturer, Alfa Laval Middle East, South and East Africa (MESEA)

This move follows Ecovado identifying Vhembe's largely unexplored market potential in avocados, which the region is naturally blessed with -- enough to sustain its wider economic progress. Boosting local avocado production will secure long-term supply and open up income opportunities for households. The success of this project will fulfil Ecovado's fruitforcash vision as part of its local development cause for employment generation and agricultural sustainability.

Ecovado's plant will be driven by the Alfa Laval processing line, giving the South African company an instant edge in the export markets with its quality products matching global standards. The project is being funded by Alfa Laval through Swedish export credit agency, EKN. Alfa Laval has also extended its funds beyond Vhembe to cover the costs of avocado seedlings for small scale farmers from the adjacent regions.

Local residents are running the day-to-day operations at the Ecovado plant, with fruits sourced directly from small scale growers. The company is now focusing to scale up production before it can grow its network of community suppliers, and in turn, expand export reach.

“This project represents exactly what sustainable industrial development should look like: world class technology enabling local entrepreneurship, job creation and long-term community development,” said Alfa Laval South and East Africa general manager, Bongani Twala.

IFTEX 2026 reflects Kenya's floricultural influence

Sustainability continues to drive modern floriculture. (Image source: IFTEX)

Kenya's floricultural influence and resilience in the face of global geopolitical uncertainties clearly reflects as IFTEX 2026 is set to return this year in Nairobi from 2-4 June with more than 200 exhibitors

Participants, including growers, breeders and supply chain specialists can leverage the event to secure businesses and partnerships for the long term as companies reassess strategies based on current market volatilities.

While sustainability continues to drive modern floriculture, other factors that hold commercial value in shaping the industry include environmental compliance, carbon footprint reduction, certification requirements, and responsible production standards.

Innovation, on the other hand, is contributing to market dynamism, from breeding and post-harvest performance to digital monitoring, freight optimisation and data-led production systems. To gain an edge, market players are focusing on launching solutions that respond directly to today’s market pressures while preparing businesses for future regulatory and commercial demands.

This year's exhibitor list comprises a diverse range across breeding, production, logistics, post-harvest technology and trade, to name a few. This means buyers can expect a showcase of premium flower production, new varieties, sustainable production systems, and export expertise.

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