Evaluating How Root Capital’s Client Businesses Impact Smallholder Livelihoods: Sorghum in Ghana

by Root Capital and Participatory Development Associates

December 23, 2021

In partnership with Participatory Development Associates, Root Capital conducted evaluations with two agricultural enterprises in Ghana. These reports—produced with the support of the Mastercard Foundation—demonstrate the impact of Root Capital's lending and advisory services on individual businesses and the impact that those enterprises have on their suppliers and communities. The first report focused on Serendipalm, a palm oil producer in the Eastern Region of Ghana. This second, and final, evaluation in the series looks at Faranaya, a sorghum aggregator in Ghana's Upper East Region.

Meaningful findings from the study include:

  • Sorghum farmers affiliated with Faranaya earned higher prices for their crops than did unaffiliated farmers;
  • Farmers working with the enterprise nearly doubled their sorghum production since joining, outpacing those in the comparison group;
  • Farmers affiliated with the enterprise reported an increase in earnings by 33% with even greater income gains for younger sorghum farmers; and
  • Women working with Faranaya perform better on key outcomes such as income, productivity, and price when compared to unaffiliated women.

Read more in the full impact study.

Download Report