Farm Input Promotions Africa

Name

Farm Input Promotions Africa

Legal name

Farm Input Promotions Africa Ltd

Website

https://fipsafrica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Extension Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), Food Security, Agriculture & Nutrition Aid Programs (BPADABAD), SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE)

Keywords

• Agricultural extension services
• Smallholder farmer support
• Youth agribusiness training
• Soil health technology
• Community-based advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Partnership and Grant Funding: FIPS Africa operates as a non-profit/Public Benefits Organisation primarily funded through partnerships with donors, development agencies, governments, and private sector actors who co-invest in agricultural development programmes.
2. Training and Capacity Building Services: The organization provides training programmes to partners across Sub-Saharan Africa, sharing methodologies, tools, and lessons learned from two decades of field experience. Revenue comes from capacity building contracts with NGOs, governments, and development organizations.
3. Youth Enterprise Support: Cost-sharing model where youth receive starter inputs through co-investment arrangements. FIPS provides in-kind grants and training while youth contribute to costs, creating sustainable ownership and enterprise development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FIPS Africa delivers community-based agricultural extension and rural enterprise development through a network of Village-Based Advisors (VBAs) who provide smallholder farmers with trial packs, training, frugal technologies (such as PRACs, Bokashi composting, lime microdosing, and fall armyworm control), and market linkages across 17+ Sub-Saharan African countries. The organization also runs a Youth Enterprise Programme, Farmer Research Networks, FIPS TV, and an Online Learning Platform to scale capacity building, and co-invests with NGOs, governments, research institutions, and donors to strengthen agricultural input and output markets.

Product overview

FIPS Africa offers a portfolio of interconnected agricultural development programs centered on the Village-based Advisor (VBA) Model as its core extension mechanism. The VBA Model is complemented by the Youth Enterprise Programme for agricultural entrepreneurship, FIPS TV for video-based learning, an Online Learning Platform for digital capacity building, and specialized services in market systems development, Farmer Research Networks, and training. The organization also promotes specific technologies including Potato Rooted Apical Cuttings (PRACs) for seed multiplication. Together, these products and services form a comprehensive approach to strengthening smallholder farming communities through last-mile extension, youth empowerment, and market systems facilitation across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Village-Based Advisor (VBA) Model A community-based agricultural extension model where locally trusted, self-employed advisors deliver proven technologies, trial packs, and advisory services directly to smallholder farmers in their villages, enabling last-mile access to information and inputs. The model uses small trial packs and demonstration plots to enable farmers to test and adopt new crop varieties and agricultural practices with reduced risk.
• Youth Enterprise Programme A program that enables unemployed and under-employed young people to launch low-risk, fast-return agri-businesses in poultry, vegetables, fodder, and potato production, with training, starter packs, and market linkages. The program has reached 78,000+ youth and supported 62,000+ youth to establish agribusinesses, creating 120,000+ job opportunities.
• Training Services Practical, field-based training programs delivered through VBAs, youth enterprise agents, and Farm Business Agents, covering farmer-centred extension, enterprise-led approaches, and youth agri-enterprise development. FIPS has trained 80+ partner organisations across 17 African countries.
• Potato Rooted Apical Cuttings (PRACs) Disease-free potato seedlings produced through greenhouse propagation that enable farmers to access quality seed potato at low cost, revolutionizing potato farming with higher yields and better seed quality. Approx 2 million PRACs can be produced annually through 2 greenhouses, supporting 70,000+ farmers in Nakuru.
• FIPS TV A video platform producing practical instructional films for small-scale farmers and agri-entrepreneurs, covering technologies in soil health, farm diversification, roots and tubers, chicken, dairy, and youth enterprise.
• Online Learning Platform A digital learning platform that translates FIPS' proven face-to-face extension models into scalable, accessible online modules for smallholder farmers, intermediaries, and partners.
• Market Systems Development Enterprise development services that strengthen input and output market systems, connecting smallholder farmers to quality inputs, aggregation services, and market access. The programme facilitated partnerships such as Homa Lime's risk-sharing model that raised lime sales in Western Kenya from 69 to 534 tonnes annually.
• Farmer Research Networks (FRNs) Farmer-led research networks that co-create, test, and validate agricultural innovations within real farming systems, combining farmer knowledge with scientific research to develop contextually appropriate solutions. Approximately 230 farmer research/learning networks have been facilitated by FIPS.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.85 million farmers reached across Sub-Saharan Africa
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Farm AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Farm Africa launched a Village-Based Advisor (VBA) programme in northeastern Uganda in partnership with FIPS Africa. The partnership aims to co-create an approach suited to Uganda's local realities, increasing productivity and supporting sustainable incomes. Farm Africa will add 80 new VBAs and expand outreach to 10,000 more farmers, reaching 180 VBAs supporting 22,000 farmers total.
• Nakuru County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-investment partnership launching 100 Diffused Light Stores (KES 17 million investment) and agribusiness equipment for youth in Nakuru County to strengthen the potato value chain and youth enterprise development.
• AsOne Ministries (Uganda)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSince 2019, FIPS has worked with AsOne Ministries to deliver the VBA programme in Eastern Uganda. AsOne has trained 150 VBAs supporting over 25,000 farmers across five districts.
• FIFAMANOR (Madagascar)secondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMalagasy agricultural research and development institute participating in hands-on learning exchange on implementing potato projects, particularly PRAC propagation.
• DRAE MadagascarsecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRegional Directorate of Agriculture and Livestock under Madagascar's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. Participated in potato project learning exchange.
• Réseau Burundi 2000 Plus (RBU 2000+)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNon-profit organisation with 20+ years experience joining FIPS Training Unit Community of Practice. Partnership will expand VBA model beyond seeds into potato, soil health, and poultry value chains. Will work with 100 VBAs to reach 10,000 farmers.
• ISABU (Burundi)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerBurundi's principal government institution for agricultural research. Partner in potato seed system development and VBA expansion in Burundi.
• Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Sierra Leone (MAFS-AESD)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLed the VBA initiative in Sierra Leone, training 200 VBAs to support farmers in five districts (Port Loko, Karene, Moyamba, Bo, Kenema) as first phase of national roll-out. Programme aims to reach 30,000+ smallholder farmers.
• Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerValidated handheld soil pH metres using data from nearly 90,000 on-farm soil samples collected by FIPS. Partnered on soil health mapping databases for Busia, Kakamega, and Bungoma counties.
• Homa LimesecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLime supplier partnered with FIPS using risk-sharing model offering discounted prices and payment after sales. This partnership revived lime market in Western Kenya, with sales rising from 69 to 534 tonnes annually.
• Manor House Agricultural Centre KenyasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization where farmers observed Bokashi composting technique. Contributed to farmer-driven innovation and adaptation of composting methods.
• Pwani-Tvet CollegesecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership since 2024 to help students develop successful agri-businesses after graduation. FIPS trained 38 students as VBAs, with up to 16 completing attachments to FIPS Africa.
• Maseno UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn-station trials for fall armyworm soil method research conducted at Maseno University alongside field trials in Vihiga and Kisumu counties.
• CIMMYTsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational maize research organization participating in inception meeting for fall armyworm soil method research study.
• ICIPEsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational centre of insect physiology and ecology participating in fall armyworm research inception workshop.
• CABIsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre for Agriculture and Bioscience International participating in fall armyworm soil method research inception workshop.
• Soybean Innovation LabsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institution sharing insights on scaling agronomic practices that inspired FIPS to document its own technology validation processes.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Land O'Lakes Venture37: Non-profit development arm of Land O'Lakes delivering agricultural development, cooperative strengthening, and market systems programs in Africa and Asia. Closely comparable in scope, model, and target smallholder dairy/crop value chains.
• One Acre Fund: Direct peer serving smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa with bundled input delivery, financing, training, and market access via a last-mile field agent network. Operates at larger scale with millions of farmers across Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and other African countries.
• Farm Africa: UK-based NGO partnering with FIPS in Uganda to deliver the VBA programme; focused on sustainable agriculture, market access, and smallholder farmer livelihoods across East Africa. Closely comparable mission and beneficiary profile.
• Self Help Africa: Ireland-based international NGO delivering agricultural development, enterprise support, and market systems programs across Sub-Saharan Africa. Highly comparable smallholder farmer focus and partnership-based delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• TechnoServe: Large international non-profit working on agricultural value chains, enterprise development, and market systems in Africa and Latin America. Broader portfolio and geographic reach than FIPS but overlapping smallholder and youth enterprise focus.
• Heifer International: Global non-profit focused on ending hunger and poverty through sustainable agriculture, livestock, and smallholder farmer empowerment. Larger scale and broader geographic footprint, but overlapping mission and youth agribusiness programming.
• SNV Netherlands Development Organisation: Dutch development organization working on agriculture, energy, and water across Africa and Asia, including smallholder market systems and youth employment programs. Comparable agricultural development and public-private partnership approach.
• AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa): Africa-based institution working with governments, NGOs, and private sector to improve smallholder farmer productivity, access to inputs, and market systems across the continent. Overlapping donor and policy-level relationships with FIPS partners.
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS): Large US-based international humanitarian agency running agriculture, youth livelihoods, and food security programs across Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable faith-rooted non-profit delivery model and smallholder farmer focus.
• CARE International: Major international humanitarian organization with extensive smallholder agriculture, food security, and women/youth economic empowerment programming across Africa. Overlapping donor base and rural community delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fipsafrica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fips_africa
• Facebookfacebook.com/farminputpromotionsafricaltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/farm-input-promotions-africa-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/fips_africa
• TikToktiktok.com/@fipsafrica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Farm Input Promotions Africa