Our six-year Scaling Energy Access Markets in Africa (SEAM) partnership with The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Power Africa met its objectives and came to its natural conclusion in October. SEAM improved the lives of more than 15 million underserved people in Africa, delivered over 3.1 million new connections, leveraged $441 million of…
Smallholder farms account for 68.3% of total cultivated area in Ghana. Despite their important role in Ghana’s agricultural sector and economy more generally, however, farmers largely lack access to important support services that affect their productivity and survival due to the risky nature of their craft as perceived by financial institutions. Challenges such as the…
Agriculture is a major driver of economic output in Africa, providing income and livelihoods for millions of smallholder farmers, including the most vulnerable parts of the population. However, climate-related threats, including droughts and excess rainfall as well as pests and diseases, threaten crop yields. Agricultural insurance serves as a powerful risk mitigation tool for dealing…
A new report examines the impact of Jaza Energy and the battery-as-a-service model on Jaza Hub Operators (“Jaza Stars”) as well as current, former and potential Jaza Customers. The report, conducted by the Busara Center for Behavioral Economics and co-funded by Shell Foundation and the UK government, presents the results of research conducted in the…
In Sub-Saharan Africa, small-scale farmers make up about 60 percent of the population and about 23 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP comes from agriculture. Small-scale farmers are at the heart of African agriculture and face many challenges: access to credit for farm inputs and market access for their produce being chief among them. In 2022,…
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the lowest energy access rates in the world, leaving roughly 600 million people without power. SF partner Aceleron – co-funded with UK aid from the UK government and supported by Tripleline – has produced a report showing how lithium battery technology can play a critical role in reducing this deficit and…
Four new impact case studies from Inficold highlight how various cold chain products can deliver higher incomes for farmers and agribusinesses across several value chains. Agriculture in the Indian Context We have supported Inficold since 2016, as part of our CASEE programme with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), to develop its…
Sustainable food processing provides an untapped opportunity for social investors to combat the daily ~$19.4 million post-harvest crop loss in India. India’s food processing sector is significantly hampered by efficiency challenges, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, up to 40% of smallholder farmers’ total produce results in post-harvest loss. SF partner S4S Technologies has…
Many people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) earn their living as smallholder farmers – providing food for their families and produce to sell on. However, lack of cold storage means that crops can become inedible within a short time, contributing to large amounts of food waste and minimising smallholder farmers’ earnings from their hard work. With…
Many Kenyans make their living via the fish value chain, but its growth potential is limited by high post-harvest losses caused in a large part by lack of food cold chain infrastructure, which is in turn constrained by a limited access to energy. Shell Foundation has supported KeepITCool (KIC) – a social enterprise that facilitates…