Money Markets
The grants and technical support are provided under the KIE, a $17 million initiative launched in 2012. PHOTO | FILE
By BRIAN NGUGI, bnjoroge@ke.nationmedia.com
In Summary
Ten Kenyan innovators have won funding worth Sh380
million from the US Agency for International Development (USAid) aimed
at improving agriculture-based innovations.
The agency is providing the money through its Feed the
Future Kenya Innovation Engine Initiative (KIE) that demonstrated
ability to transform simple agriculture initiatives into valuable
projects in the country.
The beneficiaries include Lachlan Kenya Ltd, Wanda
Organic Ltd, the Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN), Indicus East
Africa Ltd, Takaful Insurance of Africa Ltd, and Value Farms Ltd. Others
are Kenya Biologics Ltd, Amtech Technologies Ltd, Kenya Livestock
Marketing Council (KLMC) and iProcure Ltd.
The agency said such projects play a key role in
enhancing economies in individual households while at the same time
reducing poverty levels and improving food security among communities.
“Following various vetting processes, six of these
pilot roll-out grants have already been made and the Innovation Engine
is poised to grant funding and technical assistance to an additional
four advanced innovations,” Karen Freeman, the mission director at the
US Embassy said.
The grants and technical support are provided under
the KIE, a $17 million initiative launched in 2012 with the intention
of reducing poverty, and improving socio-economic standards among
different communities in Kenya.
The five-year programme identifies and scales up food innovative initiatives.
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