DEG Invest CEO Roland Siller and team at LIMBUA

Long-standing LIMBUA partner and financier DEG visits us in Kenya for two days

In May 2024, Roland Siller, CEO of DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH – visited our company in Kenya together with his colleagues Antje Steiner (Director Regional Office East Africa at KfW DEG) and Jelle Pentinga (DEG Nairobi).

During their first visit, Roland Siller and his colleagues had the opportunity to learn about the investments implemented with the support of DEG Invest. DEG is a long-standing partner and financier of LIMBUA. Its financing supported the expansion of macadamia processing and the establishment of avocado oil and dried fruit production. Through its ImpactConnect program, DEG also supports investments in the energy supply of LIMBUA’s production sites.

DEG Invest visits LIMBUA

^{DEG CEO Roland Siller, Antje Steiner and Jelle Pentinga visiting LIMBUA}

A look back: LIMBUA from its beginnings to today

LIMBUA’s development began in 2009 at the Githure site with a small number of smallholder farmers and the processing of macadamia nuts. At the time of the visit, LIMBUA operated four production sites where avocados and mangoes were processed alongside macadamias.
The visitors gained insights into the company’s technological and organizational development. In May 2024, more than 7,000 organic smallholders and over 700 employees from the region were part of the LIMBUA model. Organic agriculture and the processing of harvests in the rural growing regions have been central elements of the company since its foundation.

Processing facility in Ena – DEG

^{A lot has happened since 2009: tour of the macadamia production facility in Ena}

Avocado oil production in Kenya

Since 2021, LIMBUA has also been producing organic avocado oil directly in Kenya. This production line complements the range of organic products and expands local processing. The oil is produced from organic avocados sourced from the organic mixed farms of LIMBUA’s contract smallholders, who also supply macadamia nuts. The DEG Invest visitors were particularly interested in the production methods and the tasting of the freshly pressed oil.

Bottling avocado oil

^{Abigael Birech bottles the freshly pressed avocado oil for tasting}

Meeting smallholder farmer Grace Wangari Njeru

Smallholder farmers form the basis of the LIMBUA supply chain. LIMBUA sources the organic harvests for processing in Kenya from them. A visit to smallholder farmer Grace Wangari Njeru was therefore part of the program. According to Grace, she has been able to use her agricultural income for various investments since she began working with LIMBUA. On her organic mixed farm, the guests viewed mature macadamia trees and tasted local produce, including sugar cane.

Profile of Grace Njeru:

She has worked with LIMBUA since 2020
Widowed, with three adult children
According to Grace, she uses income from macadamia sales to operate several rental houses, among other investments
Her organic mixed farm covers approximately 2.5 acres
She grows organic macadamia, avocado, mango, papaya, coffee and other crops

Roland Siller visiting LIMBUA smallholder farmer Grace Njeru

^{From left to right: Jelle Pentinga, LIMBUA founder Matti Spiecker, smallholder farmer Grace Njeru, DEG Invest CEO Roland Siller and Antje Steiner}

Another part of the program was a demonstration of the harvest purchasing process by the LIMBUA team. LIMBUA purchases harvests directly from its contract smallholders. The visitors were able to observe the entire process, from weighing the harvest and digitally assigning it by fingerprint scan to paying the farmer directly by mobile phone. This documents the purchasing process and supports digital traceability within the LIMBUA supply chain.

DEG demonstration of macadamia purchasing

^{Purchasing macadamias on the farm with digital recording}

Grace also showed the visitors her new biogas system, which was provided through a support program. The system converts organic material such as animal manure into biogas. The gas produced can be used as an energy source for cooking on the farm, thereby replacing some of the fuels previously used.

Using biogas can reduce the need for firewood and the time required to collect it. Cooking with biogas also produces less smoke than cooking over an open wood fire.

Biogas system at smallholder farmer Grace Njeru’s farm

^{Biogas system using animal manure to produce gas}

Visit to the tree nursery

Another part of the program was a visit to the LIMBUA organic tree nursery. Young macadamia trees, among other varieties, are raised there and distributed as seedlings to participating smallholder farmers. The seedlings can be used to expand or renew the tree populations on their mixed farms.

The nursery complements LIMBUA’s cooperation with its contract smallholders through the cultivation and distribution of seedlings. The young trees are planted on agricultural mixed farms, where they expand or renew the existing tree populations. The nursery therefore forms part of the LIMBUA model of organic agriculture, smallholder farming and local processing.

DEG Invest visits tree nursery

^{Antje Steiner and Roland Siller with nursery manager Regina Rwamba}

Planting a tree has symbolic meaning in Kenya and represents growth and the hope of a fruitful future. Following this tradition, Roland Siller and his colleagues planted a macadamia tree in the LIMBUA nursery.

Planting a macadamia tree seedling by DEG

^{Antje Steiner planting the macadamia seedling}

DEG Invest: financing investments in Kenya

DEG, a company of the KfW Group, finances private-sector investments in developing and emerging countries. At LIMBUA, the financing supported the expansion of macadamia processing and the establishment of avocado oil and dried fruit production, among other investments.

The visit gave the DEG team insights into the co-financed production sites, direct purchasing from contract smallholders, the tree nursery and the biogas program.

Many thanks for the visit!