ANB mandarine production supported by Norfund
Enabling smallholder farmers to scale, thrive, and drive economic transformation across the continent
What comes from the smallholder farmers is critical and that is also the future.
Bernard Kivava
Founder & CEO
Juhudi Kilimo
People in rural areas have often been faced with the challenge of not having access to finance solutions. Juhudi Kilimo has a vision to be the leading provider of transformative financial solutions to rural smallholder farmers in East Africa, and a mission to improve the livelihoods of rural smallholder farmers and micro entrepreneurs by providing wealth creating financial solutions
Unlike traditional microfinance, which primarily provides loans for working capital to informal businesses, Juhudi finances specific agricultural assets that offer immediate and sustainable income for farmers, including a host of loans such as farming loans, micro housing loans,farming equipment, working capital, and clean energy loans.
Juhudi´s loans are tailored to meet farmers’ and micro-entrepreneurs’ needs. Focussing on improving the financial health of smallholder farmers and making them more resilient, Juhudi begins by growing with the farmer and raising them to the level where they can stand on their own, also without Juhudi Kilimo.
80% of Juhudi´s business is in the group-lending model, where rural communities come together in groups of 10-15 members and co- guarantee each other. Juhudi loan officers go to these groups on a monthly basis, also offering non- financial services such as business training.
With the benefit of high mobile penetration in Kenya, technology assists farmers through giving them information on farming techniques, and for marketing their products online.
Juhudi has a network of over 50 branches which have penetrated into rural areas in Kenya with their financial solutions, benefitting over 500 000 households benefitting, with 68% of loans having gone to women. Income levels have grown, and children are being educated.
As an institution, Juhudi is committed to maintaining a balance between their financial and social goals, to remain financially sustainable and profitable while transforming livelihoods, and having a positive impact on the people they are working with.
