Kenyan agri-tech startup Farm to Feed has secured $1.5 million in seed funding to scale its operations and strengthen its mission of reducing food loss across Africa.
The Nairobi-based company, which operates a tech-driven platform linking surplus or imperfect farm produce to buyers, is working to build a climate-resilient and sustainable food system that benefits both farmers and the environment.
“This funding allows us to expand our reach, connecting more farmers to a market that is increasingly demanding sustainably produced food,” said Claire Van Enk, co-founder and CEO of Farm to Feed.
“As we scale, technology remains at the core of our growth, and we’re excited to enhance our systems to support expansion beyond borders. How we feed the future must be reimagined, rescued, regenerative, indigenous, and crafted to deliver value to farmers, nutrition for customers, and climate benefits.”
What Is Farm to Feed?
Founded in 2021 by Claire Van Enk, Anouk Boertien, and Zara Benosa, Farm to Feed was born out of a desire to tackle one of Africa’s most persistent and often overlooked challenges, food waste and post-harvest loss.
Across the continent, millions of tonnes of edible food are wasted each year due to cosmetic imperfections, poor market access, and inefficient logistics, even as millions of people face hunger.
Farm to Feed’s founders sought to bridge that gap. The startup’s mission is to “turn waste into value” by redistributing imperfect or surplus produce to businesses that can make use of it, such as restaurants, schools, caterers, and food processors.
By doing so, the company not only creates a new source of income for smallholder farmers but also contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by rotting food.
How Farm to Feed Operates
At the heart of Farm to Feed’s model is a business-to-business (B2B) digital platform designed to efficiently connect supply and demand within the agricultural ecosystem.
Through this tech-enabled platform, farmers can easily list available produce that might otherwise go unsold due to appearance or size standards set by traditional markets.
The platform then uses data-driven logistics and demand forecasting tools to match these farmers with buyers who need produce in bulk. It also helps coordinate collection, transport, and delivery, ensuring that food reaches buyers quickly and in good condition.
This process minimizes waste and cuts down on the environmental footprint typically associated with transporting or discarding unsold crops.
By offering fair prices and reliable market access, Farm to Feed empowers smallholder farmers, many of whom are vulnerable to economic shocks and climate change, to earn more stable and sustainable incomes.
In essence, the platform acts as both a marketplace and logistics network designed around environmental sustainability and agricultural efficiency.
Achievements and Milestones
Since its inception, Farm to Feed has achieved remarkable growth and impact in Kenya’s agricultural sector. The company has recorded 100 percent year-on-year growth, a testament to the growing demand for its services and the value it provides to farmers and buyers alike.
So far, Farm to Feed has successfully onboarded 6,500 farmers onto its platform, enabling them to sell produce that would have otherwise gone to waste.
The startup has also sold over 2.1 million kilograms of food, preventing an estimated 247 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) from being released into the atmosphere, a significant environmental achievement that underscores the link between food loss and climate change.
Beyond the numbers, these milestones reflect a shift in how African agriculture is adapting to sustainability goals.
Farm to Feed has positioned itself as a key player in the emerging circular food economy, where waste is minimized, and every product along the food chain serves a purpose.
$1.5 Million: Who Is Funding
Farm to Feed’s $1.5 million seed round is a mix of equity investment and grant support from both local and international backers committed to sustainable development.
Out of the total, $1.27 million was raised as equity funding, meaning investors received a stake in the company. The remaining $230,000 came as non-dilutive funding from DEG’s DeveloPPP Ventures programme, which supports early-stage enterprises that contribute to sustainable development.
Non-dilutive funding refers to grants or support funds that don’t require the company to give up any ownership, giving Farm to Feed more flexibility to invest in innovation and expansion.
The participation of both impact-driven foundations and venture investors highlights a growing global recognition of Africa’s potential to lead climate-smart agricultural innovation.
Plans for the Newly Raised Fund
With fresh capital secured, Farm to Feed plans to expand across Kenya and into neighboring regional markets, further integrating smallholder farmers into a more organized and sustainable value chain.
A significant portion of the funding will go toward strengthening its digital platform to improve real-time data analysis, optimize logistics, and enhance user experience for farmers and buyers.
The company also intends to diversify its product offerings by developing a semi-processed product line, including items such as dried vegetables, chopped fruits, and pre-packed food ingredients.
This strategy will not only reduce spoilage but also open access to higher-value markets, both locally and internationally, where processed goods fetch better prices than raw produce.
By doing so, Farm to Feed aims to create a more resilient income structure for farmers, attract more buyers, and contribute to regional food security through value addition.
Why This Matters
Food waste remains a pressing issue worldwide, and Africa is no exception. The continent, according to data, loses up to 40 percent of its food supply before it reaches consumers, largely due to inefficient handling, lack of storage, and market access challenges.
This not only leads to financial losses for farmers but also fuels climate change, as decomposing organic waste releases methane and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Initiatives like Farm to Feed’s offer a practical, scalable solution, tackling waste, supporting livelihoods, and addressing environmental concerns in one integrated model.
By using technology to rethink how food systems operate, Farm to Feed is setting a precedent for sustainable innovation in African agriculture.
As Van Enk put it, “How we feed the future must be reimagined, rescued, regenerative, indigenous, and crafted to deliver value to farmers, nutrition for customers, and climate benefits.”
Through its growing network of farmers and partners, the company is proving that what was once considered waste can become a cornerstone of Africa’s green economy, and that sustainability, technology, and profit can indeed go hand in hand.
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