2SCALE

What 2SCALE does

2SCALE was Africa's largest incubator for inclusive agribusiness, operating as a public-private partnership (PPP) development program rather than a commercial entity. Launched in 2012 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the program concluded in December 2025 after two implementation phases (2012-2018 and 2019-2025). It reached over 750,000 smallholder farmers through 70+ partnerships with SMEs, farmer groups, and private sector companies across 13 African countries (Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Uganda, Mozambique, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Egypt). The program was funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by a consortium of IFDC (International Fertilizer Development Center), SNV, and Bopinc.

The core offering was an Inclusive Agribusiness Partnership Program providing support services — including capacity building, access to inputs, market linkages, and facilitation of financial services — to "business champions" (SMEs and farmer groups) producing and distributing quality food products to local, national, and regional markets, with a focus on Base of the Pyramid (BoP) consumers. The Agribusiness Cluster (PEA) approach combined value chain development with Village Savings and Loan Associations (AVEC), creating community-based ecosystems. Sub-initiatives included the Global Youth Mentorship Program (GYMP, launched 2022), the Inclusive Agribusiness Club (IAC), the 2SCALE Youth Digital Platform, an Interactive Magazine, a Crowdfunding Platform, and training bootcamps covering financial management and AI/financial management modules. Notable enterprise partners included FrieslandCampina Wamco (Nigeria dairy), East-West Seed International (vegetables across West Africa), and Rockland Farms/Akoko Tasty (Ghana poultry).

The business model was grant-funded and non-commercial: 2SCALE received development funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs across two phases with amounts undisclosed, provided services to partners at no charge, held no equity stakes, and operated with no disclosed revenue or pricing model. The program concluded in December 2025; a May 2025 strategic MoU with GUDE PME in Côte d'Ivoire was designed to institutionalize the methodology through local actors rather than extend the central program.

Name

2SCALE

Legal name

2SCALE

Website

https://2scale.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

2SCALE was Africa's largest inclusive agribusiness incubator, operating from 2012 to 2025 as a Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs-funded PPP implemented by IFDC, SNV, and Bopinc, reaching 750,000+ smallholder farmers across 13 African countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Development Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Inclusive agribusiness
• Smallholder farmer support
• Agricultural value chain development
• Public-private partnerships
• Base of pyramid market

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Funding: 2SCALE is a development program funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, implemented by IFDC, SNV, and Bopinc. The program concluded in December 2025 after two phases (2012-2018 and 2019-2025).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

2SCALE operates as Africa's largest incubator for inclusive agribusiness, managing public-private partnerships that connect SMEs, farmer groups, and private sector companies ("business champions") with smallholder farmers. The program provides support services enabling partners to produce, transform, and supply quality food products to local, national, and regional markets including Base of the Pyramid (BoP) consumers across 13 African countries.

Product overview

2SCALE is Africa's largest incubator for inclusive agribusiness, implementing a comprehensive program across 10+ African countries to improve food and nutrition security and increase incomes for smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs. The program offers a range of support services to private partners (companies and farmer groups) through its core Inclusive Agribusiness Partnership Program, enabling them to produce, transform and supply quality food products to local, national and regional markets including Base of the Pyramid consumers. Key offerings include the Global Youth Mentorship Program (GYMP) for young professional development, the Inclusive Agribusiness Club (IAC) for entrepreneur networking and training, the Youth Digital Platform for online engagement, and specialized value chain partnerships in sectors including dairy, poultry, maize, rice, vegetables, soy, and fruits. The program operated in two phases (2012-2018 and 2019-2025) and concluded in December 2025, with efforts underway to institutionalize its approach through local partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Global Youth Mentorship Program (GYMP): A mentorship program launched in 2022 to empower young professionals across Africa by connecting them with experienced mentors. Two cohorts were implemented (2022-2023 and 2023-2024).
• 2SCALE Youth Digital Platform
• 2SCALE Interactive Magazine

Products and services

• Inclusive Agribusiness Partnership Program
• Global Youth Mentorship Program (GYMP)
• Inclusive Agribusiness Club (IAC)
• 2SCALE Youth Digital Platform
• Crowdfunding Platform
• Business Champion Support Services
• Dairy Farm Worker Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 750,000+ smallholder farmers impacted
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GUDE PME (Single Window for SME Development)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2025Strategic memorandum of understanding signed to intensify support for agricultural SMEs in Côte d'Ivoire. GUDE PME centralizes support, financing, and guidance services for SMEs. The partnership aims to transfer the 2SCALE approach and institutionalize inclusive agribusiness support beyond 2025.
• Sweet 'n' Dried LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Women-owned Kenyan company producing nutritious porridge flour. Partnership with CRS Nawiri project reaches BoP consumers in Isiolo, Marsabit and Nanyuki counties.
• Meru Youth Service (MYS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Partnership with Meru Dairy Union and Meru National Polytechnic to train youth in dairy farming skills. 64 students graduated in June 2024, with 60 finding employment.
• Global Youth Mentorship Program (GYMP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022Program launched to empower young African professionals by connecting them with experienced mentors. Cohort 1 had 44 participants from 10 countries; Cohort 2 had 28 participants.
• Rockland FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFemale-led Ghanaian business developing chicken precuts for the mass market targeting BoP consumers. Partnership involves 10,000 smallholder farmers, 300 SMEs, and €800,000 private sector co-investment. Brand 'Akoko Tasty' is the most popular processed chicken brand in Ghana.
• IFDC (International Fertilizer Development Center)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner for the 2SCALE program. IFDC provides technical expertise in soil science, fertilizer use, and agricultural development.
• SNVcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner for the 2SCALE program. SNV brings expertise in sustainable agriculture and inclusive business models.
• BopinccoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner focusing on Base of the Pyramid market approaches and consumer insights.
• East-West Seed InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in vegetable sector across multiple countries (Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana). Partnership involves 30,187 farmers and 182 SMEs focusing on high-yielding, disease-resistant vegetable varieties.
• BIOPROTECTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBioProtect, founded by Claude Arsène Sawadogo, promotes agroecology and organic agriculture in Burkina Faso through production of biostimulants, biopesticides and biofertilizers. Partnership grew from 10 to 47 employees.
• SOCIAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading processor supplying white maize grits to national brewery SOBERA in Benin. Partnership involves 4,020 farmers and 24 SMEs.
• SPARD AfricaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBusiness support services provider facilitating dairy farming internships and training in Kenya.
• Consell de Concertation des Riziculteurs du BenincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational apex body for rice farmers, formally anchoring the parboiled rice partnership. Partnership involves 8,689 farmers and 13 SMEs in Benin.
• RMGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in soybean LORFOL joint venture with CGEP, supporting 13,000 soybean smallholder farmers by 2026 in Côte d'Ivoire.
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS) - Nawiri ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to promote nutrition security by making affordable nutritious food products accessible to BoP consumers through last-mile vendors.
• FrieslandCampina WamcocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDairy processor partnership in Nigeria connecting smallholder dairy farmers to markets.
• Kanybek Company LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Sudanese agribusiness developing value-added maize products for BoP consumers. Founded 1998, registered 2014, operating in Juba, Renk, Malakal and Bor.
• FruittilandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFruit juice processing partnership involving Fair Trade Original and Verbruggen Juice. Partnership targets 4,000 smallholder farmers including 1,600 women.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA): AGRA is Africa's largest Africa-headquartered agricultural development organization focused on smallholder productivity, market access, and inclusive value chains across the continent — directly comparable in mission, geography, and inclusive agribusiness approach.
• TechnoServe: TechnoServe is a global nonprofit that works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries — directly comparable in its inclusive agribusiness and SME capacity-building focus.
• One Acre Fund: One Acre Fund delivers an integrated smallholder farmer support model (inputs, financing, training, market access) across East Africa — closely aligned with 2SCALE's smallholder farmer segment and value chain partnership model.
• Farm Africa: Farm Africa is a UK-based nonprofit that reduces poverty by helping African farmers grow themselves out of poverty, with overlapping focus on inclusive agribusiness, value chains, and smallholder capacity building in East Africa.
• Heifer International: Heifer International supports smallholder farmers globally with livestock, training, and market access — directly comparable to 2SCALE's livestock and crop value chain partnerships serving BoP consumers.

Broad incumbents

• IFDC (International Fertilizer Development Center): IFDC is both 2SCALE's lead implementing partner and an independent nonprofit focused on soil fertility, fertilizer systems, and smallholder productivity across Africa — overlapping technical and geographic remit.
• SNV Netherlands Development Organisation: SNV is both 2SCALE's implementing partner and a broader Dutch-funded development organization with comparable portfolios in inclusive agriculture and value chains across Africa and Asia.

Regional players

• Self Help Africa: Self Help Africa works with smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa to improve productivity, market access, and incomes — directly comparable in mission, geography, and partnership-driven model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SCALE_2
• Facebookfacebook.com/2Sscale
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2scale-africa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 2SCALE