What East-West Seed does

East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation (EWS-KT) is a non-profit corporate foundation registered in the Netherlands in May 2016, with ANBI (public benefit organization) status granted in December 2019. It is operationally linked to East-West Seed Group, which provides annual income based on a percentage of global seed sales, and it shares back-office infrastructure with the parent's country-based companies. EWS-KT's mission is to improve the production and business skills of smallholder vegetable farmers in underdeveloped markets, with the dual objective of raising farmer incomes and catalyzing competitive agricultural-input markets. As of 2025, the organization reports a cumulative reach of 1.13 million farmers trained since 2015 and 188,000 farmers directly reached in the most recent year alone, across 10 countries in South and Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, supported by 270+ staff and 28,000+ demonstration plots.

The foundation delivers its offering through a hybrid field-and-digital model. Field operations consist of 12-month intensive training cycles for "key farmers" whose plots serve as community demonstration sites, supported by training of trainers for government extension agents (e.g., 1,060 KNARDA agents under the THRIVE project in Kano, Nigeria) and co-funding partnerships with NGOs and donors. The digital layer centers on GrowHow, a public knowledge library in 33 languages; VeggieTap and VeggieTap for Africa, offline-capable mobile learning apps powered by SkillEd; the General Vegetable Production (GVP) web certification program in 12 languages; a Pesticide Selection Tool co-developed with Wageningen University & Research; and a public EWS-KT Data Dashboard that exposes training, yield, and financial data per country.

EWS-KT does not charge end users. Its revenue base is a mix of unrestricted funding from East-West Seed Group and project-restricted co-funding from development partners including DEG Impulse, AGRA, SNV, HEKS/EPER, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, the Austrian Development Cooperation, and Solidaridad. Strategic knowledge partners include Wageningen University & Research, Koppert Foundation, and CABI. A June 2026 MOU with Solidaridad and East-West Seed signals deeper integration with supply-chain development work and exploration of expansion into Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Name

East-West Seed

Legal name

Stichting East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer

Website

https://ews-kt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation is a Netherlands-registered non-profit that trains smallholder vegetable farmers in 10 African and Asian countries via field demonstrations, a multilingual digital curriculum (GrowHow, VeggieTap), and a network of 270+ local staff, funded by East-West Seed Group and development partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Extension Services

NAICS

Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nutrient Management Planning & Fertility Programs (AFACABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Agricultural Production & Farm Operations (EDAOAOAA)

Keywords

• Agricultural extension services
• Smallholder farmer training
• Vegetable farming education
• Agricultural knowledge transfer
• Digital farming advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Enkhuizen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Foundation Funding from East-West Seed Group: East-West Seed Group provides significant annual income to EWS-KT based on a set percentage of global seed sales, covering core operational expenses. This unique private-sector relationship is pivotal to the organization's sustainability.
2. Co-funding from Development Partners: EWS-KT co-invests with international organizations, private donors, local NGOs, and government institutions who share their social impact vision. Project-specific funding from donors like DEG Impulse, AGRA, SNV, HEKS/EPER, and government agencies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation (EWS-KT) is a non-profit foundation that provides free agricultural training and knowledge transfer to smallholder vegetable farmers in 10 countries across Africa and Asia. Its core offering combines 12-month intensive field-based demonstration plot training with proprietary multilingual digital platforms (GrowHow, VeggieTap, Data Dashboard) to teach improved agronomic techniques, business skills, and market integration, helping farmers achieve 55% productivity gains and an average of $354 net profit per 250-sqm plot per crop cycle.

Product overview

East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer (EWS-KT) is a non-profit corporate foundation that operates as a multi-channel agricultural knowledge transfer platform. Its core offering combines field-based training with digital extension tools to support smallholder vegetable farmers in Africa and Asia. The main products include GrowHow (a public digital library of crop guides and extension materials in 33 languages), VeggieTap and VeggieTap for Africa (mobile learning apps powered by SkillEd for online and offline farmer education), the General Vegetable Production (GVP) Certification Program (a self-paced web-based course in 12 languages), the EWS-KT Data Dashboard (a transparent public data platform), the Pesticide Selection Tool (a Bangladeshi mobile app co-developed with WUR), and an active YouTube channel with hundreds of instructional videos. Complementary channels include SMS-based training, moderated Facebook discussion groups, WhatsApp/Messenger chat groups, radio programs, podcasts, and Funzi mobile learning pilots. The ecosystem is tied together through a digitized farm management and monitoring application used internally by EWS-KT staff and through demonstration plots, farmer training events, and a Technical Support Hub that consolidates expertise across countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GrowHow: Digital platform providing full public access to extension materials including crop production guides, technical guides, management guides, and instructional videos in 33 languages.
• VeggieTap
• VeggieTap for Africa

Products and services

• GrowHow Digital Platform A public digital library providing free access to crop production guides, technical guides, management guides, and instructional videos in 33 languages. It serves as the primary repository for all of EWS-KT's training and extension content, designed for smallholder farmers, extension workers, students, and agro-input dealers.
• VeggieTap Mobile App A free, multilingual mobile learning app enabling farmers to learn basic and advanced vegetable-growing techniques from land preparation through post-harvest handling. Available online and offline, powered by SkillEd.
• VeggieTap for Africa App A regional variant of the VeggieTap app tailored for African farmers, providing offline-capable vegetable farming guidance in multiple African languages. Powered by SkillEd.
• General Vegetable Production (GVP) Certification Program A web-based certification program offering self-paced courses in vegetable production for farmers, agricultural input retailers, students, and extension workers. Available in 12 languages with beginner, advanced extension worker, and agro-input dealer tracks.
• EWS-KT Data Dashboard A public-facing data dashboard enabling transparent sharing of EWS-KT's field-collected data, including farmer training numbers, demonstration plot activities, crop yields, costs, and returns by country and globally. Includes an interactive map of demo plots and farm-level financial details.
• Pesticide Selection Tool A mobile application developed in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research to help smallholder vegetable farmers select the right pesticide and apply it correctly. Initial launch targeted Bangladesh.
• Demonstration Plot Training Program Intensive 12-month field-based support to smallholder farmers whose fields serve as demonstration plots, providing practical on-farm instruction in agronomic techniques (seedling production, mulching, trellising, fertilization, integrated pest management, post-harvest handling) and business skills. More than 28,000 demonstration plots have been established since 2015.
• Funzi Mobile Learning Courseware A lightweight mobile learning solution developed with Funzi and Wageningen University & Research, enabling farmers to access training on smartphones and feature phones with minimal data charges. The Vegetable Seedling Production course covered three modules and achieved a 95% completion rate among Hausa-speaking participants in Nigeria.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55% increase in productivity (from 9 to 14 tons per hectare) and 15% reduction in post-harvest loss
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SolidaridadcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Strategic collaboration under MOU signed June 23, 2026 at SeedNL Annual Event. Builds on previous partnerships in Bangladesh, India, and Nigeria. Three organizations bring complementary strengths: EWS-KT's technical expertise, Solidaridad's supply chain development experience, and East-West Seed's seed expertise. Focus areas include farmer productivity, climate-smart agriculture, market access, and food security.
• Wageningen University & Research (WUR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongtime partnership promoting climate-resilient agriculture through joint capacity building, development of extension materials, and implementation of action research. WUR's deep technical farming expertise informs EWS-KT's protocols, training programs, and advice to farmers. WUR plant pathologists and experts provide training and technical guidance.
• Koppert FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focuses on strengthening integrated crop management approaches to insect pests and diseases, including through action research on nature-based solutions for crop protection in EWS-KT learning farms and demonstration plots.
• CABIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal leader in agricultural research. Partnership strengthens education and training opportunities for agriculture sector professionals, enabling widespread utilization of science-based crop knowledge and methodologies.
• SkillEdcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership extends reach of digital education programs through dedicated learning platforms for online and offline use. VeggieTap and VeggieTap for Africa apps provide guidance to farmers from land preparation to post-harvest handling in multiple languages.
• East-West Seed IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 3-year DEG Impulse-funded project in India. East-West Seed India provides expertise in high-quality vegetable seeds adapted to local farming conditions and market needs.
• HEKS/EPERcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nurture Veg project in Cambodia, implementing climate-resilient vegetable production initiatives alongside EWS-KT.
• Caritas SwitzerlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nurture Veg project in Cambodia, providing support for climate-resilient vegetable production initiatives.
• AVSI FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Increasing Good Agricultural Practices and Access to Quality Horticultural Seeds in Refugee Settlements project in Uganda, supporting pumpkin farming initiative in Kyaka II.
• SNVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Horticulture Value Chain Capacity Building for the Community Driven Rural Development Project in South Sudan, establishing learning farms in Torit County.
• AGRA (Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEWS-KT works with AGRA on initiatives to improve seed systems and farmer access to quality agricultural inputs across Africa.
• Kano State Ministry of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry collaborating with EWS-KT on THRIVE project to train extension agents in climate-resilient vegetable farming in Kano State, Nigeria.
• KuchezaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with EWS-KT and Solidaridad to pilot game-based learning approach to farm economics, building awareness and skills for sustainable business decisions.
• East-West Seed GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company that provides significant annual income to EWS-KT based on percentage of global seed sales. East-West Seed acts as first mover in markets, enabling EWS-KT to catalyze competitive input markets. Also provides administrative, HR, finance, and IT infrastructure through country-based companies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• One Acre Fund: Large non-profit providing smallholder farmers in Africa with a bundled package of training, inputs, and financing. Most directly comparable to EWS-KT in mission, customer segment (smallholder farmers), and integrated extension-plus-inputs service model across East Africa.
• Digital Green: Non-profit that pioneered video-based agricultural extension for smallholder farmers, with a strong digital content library and community-led dissemination model. Closely comparable to EWS-KT's digital-first approach (GrowHow, VeggieTap, YouTube) combined with field-based community training.
• Precision Development (PxD): Non-profit deploying digital agricultural advisory services (SMS, mobile apps, IVR) to smallholder farmers in developing countries. Highly comparable to EWS-KT's SMS-based training pilots in Tanzania, Funzi mobile learning pilot in Nigeria, and VeggieTap mobile platform.
• World Vegetable Center: International agricultural research center focused exclusively on vegetable genetic improvement and production in developing countries. Directly comparable to EWS-KT's vegetable-specific smallholder training focus and its Wageningen-style scientific partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• TechnoServe: Large international non-profit working on market-based solutions for poverty, including a major agriculture practice that builds value chains and farmer capacity across Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. Broader in scope than EWS-KT but a key institutional peer in agricultural development.
• CABI: International not-for-profit providing scientific agricultural information, plant health services, and farmer advisory globally. Already an EWS-KT partner, CABI is broadly comparable as an established knowledge-transfer and plant-science intermediary serving extension agents and smallholders.
• Heifer International: Large non-profit supporting smallholder farmers globally through livestock and crop training, with programs across Africa and Asia. Comparable in beneficiary segment (smallholder farmers in developing countries) and training-led approach, though more livestock-focused than EWS-KT's vegetable specialization.
• BRAC: One of the largest development NGOs in the world, with extensive agriculture, microfinance, and youth programs across Bangladesh and other EWS-KT operating countries. Comparable as a large-scale integrated smallholder development organization in overlapping geographies.
• Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture: Non-profit arm of a global seed/agrochemical major, focused on smallholder productivity and input access in developing countries. Conceptually analogous to EWS-KT's relationship with East-West Seed Group — a commercial seed company's foundation deploying farmer-facing programs.

Regional players

• Solidaridad: International civil society organization working on sustainable agricultural supply chains across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Already an EWS-KT MOU partner (June 2026); comparable in supply-chain-and-farmer-capacity focus, though with a broader commodity scope than EWS-KT's vegetable specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/EastWestSeedKnowledgeTransfer
• Facebookfacebook.com/EastWestSeedVeggieADS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/east-west-seed-kt

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about East-West Seed