West Africa

Agriculture is how the majority of people in West Africa make ends meet. We recognize that, in addition to producing crops for export, farmers must meet the nutritional needs of a burgeoning population. With our office in Dakar and colleagues throughout the region, we provide financing and customized training to a diverse network of agricultural businesses—from large-scale cocoa cooperatives to high-impact food processors.
Serendipalm: Charting a New Path in an Industry Known for Environmental Degradation in Ghana

By sourcing palm oil from pre-existing areas of cultivated land, Serendipalm is defying industry norms of deforestation and contributing to sustainable development in rural Ghana.​​ One hundred miles northwest of Accra, Ghana, sits Asuom, a village of surprising and beautiful contrasts and contradictions. The vermilion clay earth and rust-tin roofs in Asuom pop in contrast to the verdant greens of…

La Vivriére: Reclaiming Nutritious Home-Grown Grains in Senegal

Recognizing the need for affordable, nutrient-rich alternatives to imported rice, this agroprocessing business built up the market for traditional Senegalese grains. After years of watching working mothers feed their children imported rice rather than local Senegalese grains, Bineta Coulibaly decided to take action. Traditionally, women used locally-produced and nutrient-rich millet flour to make couscous, arraw (small balls of flour cooked…

Yedent: Producing Affordable Grains to Feed Malnourished Families in Ghana

​To address chronic malnutrition, this business developed a hybrid model that allows them to produce and distribute fortified cereals to the people who need it most. “How can I make healthy food easily available to my country’s poorest people?” In 2004, a desire to answer this question inspired Ghanaian entrepreneur Samuel “Kwame” Ntim to leave his comfortable job behind and…