AFRICA HARVEST BIOTECH FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL

What AFRICA HARVEST BIOTECH FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL does

Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International is a non-profit foundation headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, founded in 2002 by Dr. Florence Wambugu. The organization applies agricultural biotechnology, gene editing, conventional breeding, irrigation technologies, and climate-smart farming practices to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across Kenya, South Africa, and Zambia. Its portfolio is organized around six core programs: Food and Nutrition Security, Climate Action and Natural Resource Management, Women and Youth Integration, Training and Skills Transfer (a Technical Services Unit), Scaling Innovative Technologies, and Agricultural Market Systems Development — implemented through projects such as the Drought-Tolerant Crops for Youth Jobs Creation initiative, the Restore Africa (RESAF) land-restoration project, the RE-GAIN grain-market program, and the Agri-Finance Accelerator Zambia (AFAZ).

Underlying capabilities include development of drought-resistant and biofortified crop varieties (sorghum, maize, pyrethrum, banana, sweet potato), a Climate-Smart Resilient value-chain methodology, RED Hubs agro-processing infrastructure in South Africa, and emerging gene-editing expertise. The organization has an ~18-person technical team spanning plant pathology, agricultural economics, finance, gender/inclusion, monitoring & evaluation, and multimedia communications, supported by a multi-country board.

Africa Harvest's business model is grant-funded non-profit operations supplemented by fee-based technical training and contracted project implementation. Primary revenue comes from institutional donors including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, IFAD, USAID, the European Union, the Green Climate Fund, AGRA, Climate Asset Management, and the World Bank. Distribution is community-led via field officers, trainer-of-trainer networks, government partnerships (e.g., ECRDA, KALRO, CSIR), and NGO implementing partners (e.g., World Vision, Global EverGreening Alliance), reaching a stated 600,000+ farmers historically with a 2023–2027 strategy targeting 10 million beneficiaries across four African regions.

Name

AFRICA HARVEST BIOTECH FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL

Legal name

Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International

Website

https://africaharvest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International is a Kenya-based non-profit, founded in 2002, that applies agricultural biotechnology, gene editing, and climate-smart farming to improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Kenya, South Africa, and Zambia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Development Services

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

Keywords

• Agricultural biotechnology
• Smallholder farmer support
• Climate-smart agriculture
• Food security programs
• Agricultural value chains

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation/Grant Funding: Africa Harvest operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through grants and donations from international development partners, foundations, and government agencies. Major funding includes a USD 21 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2005 and the US$50M Agri-Finance Accelerator Zambia (AFAZ) initiative.
2. Technical Services and Training: The organization establishes a Technical Services Unit to provide training and capacity-building services to staff from local and international organizations, project beneficiaries, trainers of trainers, and development sector professionals, generating revenue through fee-based technical services.
3. Project Implementation Services: Contracted services for implementing agricultural development projects, crop productivity programs, and market system development initiatives for governments and development partners.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International is a nonprofit foundation that designs and implements agricultural development programs applying biotechnology, climate-smart practices, and value chain approaches to improve the productivity, resilience, and incomes of smallholder farmers across Africa. It delivers capacity-building, technical services, and project execution through programs in food and nutrition security, climate action, gender and youth integration, and agricultural market systems.

Product overview

Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International is a non-profit organization operating as a portfolio of agricultural programs and initiatives rather than a unified software product. The organization offers six core programs: Food And Nutrition Security, Climate Action And Natural Resource Management, Women & Youth Integration, Training & Skills Transfer (Technical Services Unit), Scaling Innovative Technologies, and Agricultural Market Systems Development. These programs are implemented through various projects including the Drought Tolerant Crops (DTCs) for Youth Jobs Creation project, Restore Africa (RESAF) Project, Agri-Finance Accelerator Zambia (AFAZ), and the RE-GAIN program. The organization focuses on deploying agricultural biotechnology, climate-smart farming techniques, and market systems development to improve food security and livelihoods for smallholder farmers across Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food and Nutrition Security Program Program that addresses food and nutrition security for smallholder farmers and communities through agricultural productivity, biofortified crops, and nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
• Climate Action and Natural Resource Management Program Program that promotes climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management, and natural resource stewardship for smallholder farmers and rural communities.
• Women & Youth Integration Program Program that integrates women and youth into agricultural value chains through targeted skills, enterprise, and inclusion interventions.
• Training & Skills Transfer (Technical Services Unit) Capacity building and technical services unit delivering training, skills transfer, and technical assistance to farmers, partners, and project stakeholders.
• Scaling Innovative Technologies Program Program that identifies, pilots, and scales innovative agricultural technologies (including biotechnology applications) for smallholder adoption.
• Agricultural Market Systems Development Program Program that develops agricultural market systems, value chains, and agribusiness linkages to connect smallholder farmers to markets and finance.
• Agri-Finance Accelerator Zambia (AFAZ) Project Accelerator project that expands access to finance for agribusinesses and smallholder farmers in Zambia through partnerships with financial institutions.
• Drought Tolerant Crops (DTCs) for Youth Jobs Creation Project Project that promotes drought-tolerant crop adoption and creates youth employment opportunities in agriculture.
• Restore Africa (RESAF) Project Project delivering landscape restoration, climate adaptation, and livelihood outcomes for smallholder communities as part of a multi-country Restore Africa initiative.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600,000+ farmers impacted through programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ISAAA (International Service for the Acquisition of Agri Biotech Applications)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Florence Wambugu previously served as Africa Regional Director of ISAAA before founding Africa Harvest in 2002. The organization maintains close ties to the biotech community and stakeholders.
• KALRO (Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormerly KARI (Kenya Agricultural Research Institute). Dr. Florence Wambugu worked as Senior Research Officer and Coordinator of Plant Biotechnology Research at KARI. Ongoing research collaboration and technology development partnerships.
• CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Africa-based research institution collaborating with Africa Harvest on initiatives including the Africa Bio-fortified Sorghum project.
• Agricultural Research Council (ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth African agricultural research institution partnering with Africa Harvest on crop improvement and agricultural development initiatives.
• University of PretoriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating with Africa Harvest on research initiatives and agricultural development programs in South Africa.
• Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency in South Africa partnered with Africa Harvest to enhance agricultural sustainability through Rural Enterprise Development (RED) Hubs. The RED Hubs model drives rural transformation via agro-processing in maize, sorghum, and dairy.
• Global EverGreening AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal organization partnered with Africa Harvest on the Restore Africa (RESAF) Project, the world's largest farmer-led land restoration initiative operating in Kwale, Narok, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Kilifi counties in Kenya.
• World VisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment organization partnered with Africa Harvest on projects including market system development for poultry, sweet potatoes, and dairy products in Bomet County.
• Ashoka AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of social entrepreneurs partnered with Africa Harvest under MarkUp II initiative for Youth Agribusiness Accelerator Kenya launch.
• Jufra FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSorghum buyer connected to farmers through the Drought-Tolerant Crops (DTC) project under contract farming arrangements. Provides guaranteed market at premium prices.
• Partners in Food Solutions (PFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization where Daniel Saisha Mwape serves as Program Manager, contributing to food security and sustainable practices while delivering food manufacturing expertise.
• NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican Union Development Agency where Dr. Tinga Jeremy Ouedraogo serves as Research Scientist, coordinating African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) and Integrated Vector Management programs.
• AATF (African Agricultural Technology Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation where Dr. Tinga Jeremy Ouedraogo serves as Board of Trustees member. Africa Harvest staff previously worked at AATF and maintain ongoing partnerships.
• CORAF (West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional agricultural research organization where Prof. Abdulai Jalloh previously served as Director General for Research and Innovation.
• SLARI (Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute where Prof. Abdulai Jalloh serves as Director General, representing Africa Harvest's Pan-African reach in agricultural research.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• One Acre Fund: One Acre Fund is a large nonprofit that delivers financing, farm inputs, training, and market access to smallholder farmers across East Africa. It is directly comparable to Africa Harvest on smallholder service delivery, climate-smart agriculture, and farmer training, and is one of the largest competing platforms for donor support in the segment.
• TechnoServe: TechnoServe is an international nonprofit that works with smallholder farmers and agribusinesses across Africa and Latin America on value chain development, market linkages, and enterprise growth. It is directly comparable on value chain development, market systems, and women/youth inclusion, and competes for similar donor funding pools.
• Farm Africa: Farm Africa is a UK-based nonprofit that works directly with smallholder farmers in East Africa on climate-smart agriculture, market access, and value chains. It is directly comparable on smallholder-targeted interventions, climate adaptation, and farmer training in overlapping geographies (Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania).
• Self Help Africa: Self Help Africa is an international development NGO working with smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa on food security, climate resilience, and enterprise development. It is directly comparable on smallholder agriculture, gender/youth inclusion, and value chain programs in overlapping African geographies.
• African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF): AATF is a nonprofit focused on facilitating access to agricultural technologies — including improved seeds and biotech — for African smallholders. It is directly comparable on agricultural technology transfer, biotech and seed systems, and overlapping partnerships with research institutions and governments.

Broad incumbents

• Heifer International: Heifer International is a global nonprofit working with smallholder farmers on livestock, crops, and agribusiness development, with deep Africa presence. It is a broader incumbent operating at greater scale in overlapping segments (smallholder livestock and crop value chains, women/youth empowerment).
• Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA): AGRA is a large, Africa-focused organization that invests in seed systems, soil health, market access, and policy to drive agricultural transformation across the continent. It is a broader incumbent in the same donor ecosystem — even funding some Africa Harvest projects — and competes for institutional partnerships.
• Mercy Corps (Agriculture portfolio): Mercy Corps is a global humanitarian and development organization with substantial agricultural programming across Africa focused on market systems, climate resilience, and food security. It is a broader incumbent that competes for similar donor funding and operates at greater scale.

Others

• Global EverGreening Alliance: The Global EverGreening Alliance coordinates large-scale land restoration and carbon-removal programs (including Restore Africa) that partner with smallholder farmer cooperatives. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant — Africa Harvest's RESAF project is a delivery vehicle within the Alliance's farmer-led land restoration platform.
• CGIAR / International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT): ICRISAT is a CGIAR research center focused on dryland crops (sorghum, millet, groundnut, chickpea) and works on crop improvement, biotech, and smallholder systems across Africa. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant — supplying germplasm and research inputs that underpin Africa Harvest's biofortified sorghum and drought-tolerant crop programs.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/africaharvestke
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNGmKkrPUcACP7gk4mWA0Yg
• Facebookfacebook.com/AfricaHarvestIntl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/africa-harvest-biotech-foundation-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/africa_harvest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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