The Coca-Cola Company, TechnoServe and The Gates Foundation Partner to Boost Incomes of 50K Small-Scale Farmers in East Africa - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

KAMPALA, Uganda -- The Coca-Cola Company, nonprofit TechnoServe, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today launched a partnership to enable over 50,000 small fruit farmers in Uganda and Kenya to increase their productivity and double their incomes by 2014.

This four-year, $11.5 million partnership will enable mango and passion fruit farmers to participate in Coca-Cola's supply chain for the first time. With a $7.5 million grant provided by the Gates Foundation to TechnoServe, $3 million provided by The Coca-Cola Company, and $1 million by bottling partner Coca-Cola Sabco, the project aims to create new market opportunities for local farmers whose fruit will be used for Coca-Cola’s locally-produced and sold fruit juices. As the implementing partner, Technoserve will train participating farmers in improving quality, increasing production, getting organized into farmer groups, and will facilitate access to credit.

To read the full press release visit the TechnoServe web site.