New York, USA, Chennai, India & Nairobi, Kenya – The Lightsmith Group (“Lightsmith”), a global sustainable private equity firm, WayCool Foods, a food supply chain services firm operating in India, and CENSA, a technology subsidiary of WayCool Foods offering a range of digital and IoT-based solutions, announced today their partnership with Aga Khan Foundation Kenya (“AKFK”), a Kenya-based development organization focused on improving the quality of life for Kenyan communities through meeting basic needs, sharing knowledge, and providing opportunities for growth. AKFK is part of the larger Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a leading global development network working to address the root causes of poverty by combining local knowledge with global best practices to bring about transformative and long-lasting improvements to quality of life.
Lightsmith, WayCool Foods, and CENSA are partnering with AKFK as part of a project under the Climate Resilience and Adaptation Finance and Technology-transfer facility (CRAFT) Technical Assistance Facility, funded by a grant from the United States Department of State, entitled SEED: “Securing market Entry into East Africa by Deploying technology” and building the enabling environment for climate resilience and food security for smallholder farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
The SEED project seeks to enhance the capacity of Farmer Cooperatives and smallholder farmers in East Africa, starting with a pilot in Kirinyaga County, Kenya, to become more climate resilient by introducing and transferring WayCool Foods and CENSA hardware and software to provide farm-level data and analytics. Project activities are designed to bolster food security in Kenya through pre-harvest interventions for crops that have been impacted by effects of climate change and vital to food security in the region through this pilot deployment of technologies for farmers.
As part of the SEED project, Lightsmith, WayCool Foods, and CENSA are partnering with AKFK starting September 1, 2024, through February 28, 2026, to facilitate the deployment and engagement with farmers for the piloting of WayCool Foods and CENSA’s digital technologies that seek to build resilience to climate impacts and greater food security. AKFK will be responsible for recruiting and engaging with a target of 18,000+ farmers, through Farmer Cooperatives for the piloting of these technologies with crops that are currently impacted by changing weather, moisture patterns, and incidence of pest and disease.
“The U.S. Department of State is pleased to support the expansion of Lightsmith, WayCool, and CENSA’s impactful work into East Africa”, said Olivia Reader, Climate Project Manager for the Office of Global Change at the U.S. Department of State. “During my visit to Assam, India, where I observed the deployment of their technologies in the field, I witnessed significant impact on improving food security and livelihoods. Farmers spoke to me about how these initiatives have enhanced their ability to adapt to climate challenges, leading to more resilient and sustainable agricultural practices. This partnership aligns with the United States’ broader commitment to promoting food security and resilient food systems across Africa. As part of our ongoing efforts, this project not only addresses immediate food security needs but also contributes to building sustainable and resilient agricultural practices in the region. We look forward to seeing similar positive outcomes for smallholder farmers in East Africa as we work together to strengthen food security and economic resilience.”
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About The Lightsmith Group
The Lightsmith Group is a sustainable private equity firm that invests in companies that address critical societal needs. Lightsmith invests in growth-stage companies providing technology-enabled business services and solutions in the areas of energy, water, food and agriculture, and climate resilience. For more information on The Lightsmith Group, please see: www.lightsmithgp.com.
Media Contact
Sanjay J. Wagle
Managing Director
The Lightsmith Group
Sanjay.wagle@lightsmithgp.com
About WayCool Foods
WayCool Foods and Products Private Limited is in the Agriculture Supply Chain Industry. WayCool Foods is the only full-stack tech-led supply chain player in India, focusing on food cultivation, processing and distribution, while leveraging innovative technology to scale and operate a complex supply chain from fork to farm. The company has merged the physical and digital worlds for a “phy-gital” business model connecting farmers, processors, distributors and the retailers, while boosting profitability for every stakeholder. WayCool Foods products include fresh fruits and vegetables, staples, nuts and spices, dairy, and value-added products. The company is domiciled in India.
About CENSA
CENSA offers a range of digital and IoT-based solutions, along with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation services and custom offerings, to address the specific needs of the food and agri industry. By leveraging advanced technologies and industry expertise, CENSA aims to drive efficiency, transparency, and sustainability throughout the entire value chain. At the core of CENSA’s offerings is Censa Cloud, a powerful combination of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and customized products. This innovative solution provides end-to-end support through six modular product suites covering the entire seed-to- sale supply chain to enhance efficiency and transparency.
About Aga Khan Foundation Kenya
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is a non-denominational, international development agency established in 1967 by His Highness the Aga Khan. Globally, AKF seeks sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and ill-health, with special emphasis on the needs of rural communities in mountainous, coastal and other resource-poor areas. The Aga Khan Foundation Kenya was established in 1974 and responds to local and regional priorities by developing and implementing effective programming, measuring and documenting results and sharing lessons with governments, donors and development actors to influence policy and practice. It supports the poorest and most marginalized in society, with a special focus on women, girls, children and the youth, so that they can achieve a level of self-reliance and an improved quality of life. To achieve this, AKFK’s approach is to work with the communities, to nurture their ownership and ensure sustainable beyond the life of projects.
