Pamoja raises $8.5 million to accelerate sustainable macadamia nut production in Kenya and Tanzania

Pamoja, a sustainable macadamia nuts producer in East Africa has raised $8.5 million from French asset management company Mirova to accelerate its projects in Kenya and Tanzania

Mirova is a subsidiary of Natixis Investment Managers dedicated to sustainable investment.

Pamoja is targeting 6,200 hectares of managed lands according to stringent sustainability criteria (organic and Fair Trade) and support for 13,000 small local producers by 2031 in the two countries. 

In Kenya, Pamoja already works with nearly 6,000 small-scale producers via its subsidiary TenSenses, with a constant focus on improving agricultural practices and gaining access to international certifications. The Nairobi-based processing plant and access to extensive distribution networks generate substantial additional income for these producers, giving them access to international markets.  

In Tanzania, through its subsidiary Macjaro, Pamoja is developing macadamia nut farms,  operated with respect for agroforestry ecosystems. Macjaro aims to plant over 700 hectares of new coffee and macadamia nut farms over the next few years. It also intends to extend its support program for small-scale producers to establish a sustainable value chain, along the lines of what has been set up in Kenya.  

Guillaume Maillard, founder and managing director of Pamoja, said “This partnership with  Mirova will enable us to step our efforts up to promote sustainable and profitable exploitation of arable land, and to train producers in best practices. We will also be able to  strengthen our industrial facilities, managed according to our Swiss standards, which enable  our nuts processed in Kenya to compete with all other origins.” 

This partnership is part of the Land Degradation Neutrality1 (LDN) fund, co-promoted by  Mirova and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), aimed at financing projects that contribute to land degradation neutrality.

With this investment,  Pamoja joins a portfolio of 12 sustainable land management projects in Latin America, Africa and Asia, in supply chains as diverse as coffee, cocoa, wood, nuts, fresh fruit, ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry and payments for ecosystem services, demonstrating the effectiveness of the sustainable business model promoted by Mirova.  

Gautier Quéru, Managing Director at Mirova, said “This significant investment in  Pamoja illustrates Mirova’s ongoing commitment to sustainable land management in emerging countries. Thanks to Mirova’s expertise, local presence, and long-term financial support, Pamoja is now better equipped to develop its strategy around sustainable land management. This is in line with our objective of supporting the sustainable transition of the  agricultural and forestry sectors while generating long-term financial value for our  investors…”