A loan helped to raise loan capital to reach new markets and further develop their product.


Futurepump Company Limited's story

Futurepump is a start-up producing solar-powered water pumps for irrigating small farms as an alternative to costly and polluting mechanical pumps.

Food shortage is a recurrent problem in Kenya, affecting an estimated 10 million Kenyans per year. Food insecurities are largely driven by drought, with three droughts in the last decade and five drought-related national disasters declared in the past 20 years.

Less than 2% of Kenya’s agriculture is irrigated, making subsistence farmers especially vulnerable to drought. The only existing irrigation solutions made available to smallholder farmers are prohibitively expensive, typically costing farmers USD $2,800. They are also difficult to manage and maintain, and are thus unsuitable to address food security issues in Kenya.

Futurepump is solving this problem by introducing the Sunflower pump. The Sunflower pump is a low-cost water pump designed to lift 13,000 litres of fresh water per day from underground reservoirs for irrigation purposes. The pump is both robust and portable and offers farmers a cheaper, cleaner and more sustainable alternative to costly and environmentally unfriendly diesel pumps.

Futurepump’s innovation has been very successful to date and has resulted in a strategic partnership with Juhudi Kilimo. Juhudi Kilimo, which manages a loan portfolio of 25,000 smallholder farmers, believes that the Sunflower pump is a high potential product that is ready for the market. This partnership will bring many new growth and learning opportunities to Futurepump, as the company embarks on an exciting new phase of expansion.

Through Juhudi Kilimo, Future Pump is requesting a USD $25,000 investment from Kiva lenders as loan capital to reach new markets and further develop their product. With your support, Futurepump is expected to broaden its distribution network to make the Sunflower pump available to smallholder farmers all over Kenya.

In the next three years, Futurepump expects to sell 47,000 units to rural smallholder farmers based in semi-arid and arid areas. The portable, solar-powered pump will save each farmer USD $117 per year in avoided fuel costs.

Your support will help Futurepump and Juhudi Kilimo in empowering rural farmers with environmental-friendly solutions that bring immediate benefits, notably a substantial decrease in irrigation costs. Additionally, the Sunflower pump will give farmers the opportunity to grow and sell crops out of season, bringing economic gains to their families and the wider community. Juhudi Kilimo believes that financial inclusion and innovation are critical for poverty alleviation and environmental protection. You can help support Kenyan smallholder farmers and make a difference in their lives by supporting Futurepump in their quest to provide them with affordable modern technology.



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