During a recent visit to GSMA Innovation Fundgrantee Farm to Feedin Kenya, we saw firsthand how a dynamic startup is tackling food waste by creating a market for imperfect produce. Our trip offered a deeper understanding of their work, highlighting the pivotal role that tech can play in creating more sustainable food systems.
Food Waste: A key driver of climate change
Climate resilience goes beyond surviving the next drought or flood – it’s about building systems that can adapt and thrive in the face of constant environmental change. GSMA Innovation Fund grantee Farm to Feed embodies this by tackling one of the most critical elements of resilience: food security.
Every year, a third of global food production is lost or wasted – a stark reality when 309 million people are facing acute food insecurity. Food waste is also a significant contributor to climate change, accounting for roughly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions – five times more than the aviation industry.
In sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 50% of all fruits and vegetables never reach consumers, resulting in lost income for farmers, higher food prices and added environmental strain. In Kenya, where agriculture is both vital and vulnerable to shifting climates, smallholder farmers often see their crops rejected due to quality or appearance issues caused by unpredictable weather. This not only impacts their livelihoods but also reduces access to affordable, nutritious food across the region.
From food loss to food security
Farm to Feed began in April 2020 as part of a COVID-19 relief effort, initially focused on redirecting food that would otherwise go to waste to vulnerable communities during the pandemic. Since then, the startup has set its sights on transforming Kenya’s food system.
So, how does it work? Farm to Feed collects both standard and ‘imperfect’ produce from farmers – smaller or oddly shaped crops that would typically be rejected due to not meeting market specifications or expectations. The startup then sells up to 15,000 kilograms of this produce each week to customers such as retailers, the hospitality industry, food processors and schools. During our visit to their Nairobi warehouse, we saw these ‘rescue’ crops up close – fresh and nutritious produce that would otherwise be discarded as waste
Leveraging tech for impact
One of the key takeaways from our visit was the essential role that technology plays in Farm to Feed’s operations. They have developed an online e-ecommerce platform that connects smallholder farmers’ imperfect produce with markets, enabling them to earn additional income while making food more accessible and affordable for buyers. Customers can also easily order for Farm to Feed produce via the e-commerce platform and have the produce delivered to their premises.
With support from the GSMA Innovation Fund, Farm to Feed is currently developing a mobile app that allows Farm to Feed to offtake/buy produce from farmers. Thereafter – Farm to Feed sells this produce via their e-commerce site to B2B customers. This platform also uses digital tools to streamline logistics, ensuring that fresh produce is transported efficiently and reaches its destination promptly.
But Farm to Feed’s digital solution goes beyond market connections – it’s also a crucial tool for addressing climate-related challenges. By using data analytics, the platform can predict surplus food availability and demand patterns, helping to prevent waste when supply is high and ensuring produce is distributed when it’s scarce. This capability is crucial in a world where climate change is making unpredictable growing seasons and yields the new norm.
Empowering farmers and helping businesses make better choices
Our market visit offered a firsthand look at the impact Farm to Feed is having. Jane, a farmer managing a network of 50 mostly female farmers, showed us around her farm and explained the challenges faced with increasingly unpredictable seasons and soil degradation. She highlighted Farm to Feed’s reliability in purchasing all produce, unlike other brokers, which has provided a steady income stream from surplus crops. For her, a key benefit of partnering with Farm to Feed is their prompt payment model, offering immediate income instead of making farmers wait weeks.
Farm to Feed’s model has proven to be a lifeline for many farmers, particularly women, who often bear the brunt of agricultural burdens in rural Kenya. By improving their access to markets, Farm to Feed (itself a female-led startup) is not only supporting livelihoods but also contributing to the empowerment of women in agriculture.
Beyond the financial benefits, this circular model delivers substantial environmental gains. By redirecting surplus produce away from landfills, the organisation helps curb methane emissions. For business customers, the impact is measurable: every kilogram of imperfect produce purchased reduces the company’s carbon footprint while supporting farmers’ livelihoods. This approach also aligns with Kenya’s climate goals, demonstrating how innovative climate tech solutions can bolster national efforts to mitigate environmental impacts.
The road ahead
Farm to Feed is set for growth, with ambitious plans to expand its reach and impact. Backed by the GSMA Innovation Fund’s grant and technical assistance, they are refining their digital platforms to better connect farmers and buyers. This includes a USSD platform for farmers and an e-commerce marketplace to attract more B2B buyers.
They are also working on launching value added produce through purchasing machinery which enables them to ‘rescue’ more products, increase their offtake from farmers and increase margins to improve their commercial sustainability.
As they scale, Farm to Feed aims to transform Kenya’s food system and showcase how innovative solutions can redefine food security – ensuring farmers thrive, surplus produce is utilised, and communities become more sustainable and climate-resilient.
Meet the rest of the GSMA Innovation Fund for Climate Resilience and Adaptation Cohort 2.0.
The ClimateTech programme is currently funded by UK International Development from the UK Government and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), and is supported by the GSMA and its members.
