As the global push for climate action continues, P4G (Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030) has unveiled its latest round of climate-focused partnerships. These partnerships, involving innovative early-stage businesses and nonprofit organisations, aim to tackle pressing challenges in food, water, and energy systems in emerging markets. By providing grant funding and technical assistance, P4G empowers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to become investment-ready, addressing critical gaps in climate finance for early-stage businesses.

The newly announced partnerships focus on solutions in Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa, and Vietnam. They reflect P4G’s commitment to fostering sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries, where SMEs account for about 90% of businesses and create 70% of jobs. With support from P4G’s national platforms and matchmaking sessions with impact investors, these businesses are poised to transform their sectors, making strides toward a greener future.

Also read: Denmark ramps up its engagement with African countries

Tackling water resilience in Kenya

Among the new partnerships is the Grekkon Limited–Access2innovation partnership, which is set to enhance water resilience for smallholder farmers in Kenya by introducing climate-smart agricultural solutions. These solutions include innovative mapping of groundwater sources, water-efficient irrigation systems, and advisory services for smart agricultural practices. As unpredictable rainfall patterns and unreliable water supplies continue to affect agriculture across Sub-Saharan Africa, this partnership seeks to address these challenges head-on.

Grekkon Limited, a Kenyan agribusiness, specialises in providing water-resilient agricultural solutions. In collaboration with Danish technology provider TEMCompany, which has developed high-accuracy groundwater mapping tools, Grekkon aims to ensure that farmers have access to reliable water supplies. TEMCompany’s technology can assess water quality before drilling and covers ten times the area of conventional systems, drastically reducing the occurrence of dry or contaminated wells.

P4G has awarded the Grekkon Limited–Access2innovation partnership with a grant to support the development of these water-efficient technologies. By implementing cost-effective irrigation solutions, Grekkon Limited will empower farmers in arid and salinity-contaminated areas of Kenya, improving both productivity and livelihoods. Moreover, the new mapping technology aims to increase the success rate of boreholes from 60% to 80%, making a substantial impact on Kenya’s agricultural sector.

Learn more about the project

Reducing food waste in Ethiopia

The Yarashoo Agro Industry–CARE partnership is focused on reducing food waste and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia by creating sustainable markets for dried fruits and vegetables. This partnership addresses significant post-harvest losses in the country, where approximately 33% of fruit and vegetable harvests are wasted. By introducing climate-smart post-harvest technologies, the partnership aims to lower these losses and increase farmers’ incomes.

Yarashoo Agro Industry, an all-women-owned agribusiness, is driving this initiative by sourcing fresh produce from farmers and converting it into dried fruits and vegetables under the brand name Aifa Foods. This venture will serve both the domestic market and established international markets for dried food products. By creating a stable market for their produce, Yarashoo not only reduces post-harvest loss but also helps farmers secure a reliable income. The startup’s activities also contribute to job creation, particularly for women and youth in areas such as aggregation, processing, and packaging.

CARE, a nonprofit with extensive experience and strong relationships with farmer groups and government ministries in Ethiopia, is providing crucial support as the administrative partner. CARE will facilitate training for farmers on improved agricultural methods to boost yields and help Yarashoo secure a steady, high-quality supply of fresh produce. Additionally, the partnership will enable farmers to dry and package their produce on-site, reducing food waste and increasing the value of their products in the marketplace.

Through P4G’s support, the Yarashoo-CARE partnership aims to raise investments, scale the volume of food processed from 2,000 to 15,000 metric tons, and reduce post-harvest losses by 50%. The initiative also targets an annual income increase of $1,000 for 60% of the farmers involved, thereby enhancing their economic resilience.

Read more about the partnership