Ghanaian agritech startup Complete Farmer has secured a $5m debt facility from the Swiss impact investing platform Symbiotics. The investment is earmarked to scale the company’s operations, which aim to fix major bottlenecks in Ghana’s agricultural supply chain for thousands of smallholder farmers.
Complete Farmer operates a digital platform that connects farmers to buyers and input suppliers, while also providing them with the tools and agronomic expertise needed to meet quality standards for commercial markets.
Fixing a fragmented supply chain
Ghana’s agricultural sector, a cornerstone of its economy, is largely powered by smallholder farmers. However, these farmers often struggle with fragmented supply chains, inconsistent crop quality, and limited access to reliable buyers, which suppresses their income potential.
Complete Farmer tackles these issues by acting as a bridge. Its platform provides data-driven farming protocols and direct links to domestic and international markets, essentially creating a more predictable and efficient value chain. The company also invests in physical infrastructure to support its digital services.
“This investment marks a pivotal moment in our journey to build the most efficient agricultural supply chains in Africa,” said Desmond Koney, CEO of Complete Farmer. “With Symbiotics’ support, we’re accelerating our mission to empower smallholder farmers with the tools, knowledge, and market access they need to thrive.”
Building on previous rounds
This $5m debt round is the latest injection of capital for the growing startup. It follows a €2.2m (~$2.5m) funding round from the European Union’s AgriFI initiative, managed by EDFI Management Company. That capital was allocated to build six fulfilment centres — logistics and aggregation hubs for storage, quality control, and input distribution — in Ghana’s five northern regions.
The company also previously raised $300,000 in a crowdfunding campaign to provide input financing for its network of farmers. This new debt facility from Symbiotics shows a diversification of its funding sources as it scales.
For Symbiotics, the investment aligns with its strategy of backing sustainable agriculture in emerging markets.
“We have been particularly impressed by the company’s integration of technology to build and deliver agronomic expertise throughout its extensive network of growers,” commented Vincent Lehner, Head of Markets at Symbiotics. “This investment aligns closely with our vision of fostering sustainable development in frontier markets.”
The partnership is expected to directly support rural livelihoods, improve income stability for farmers, and contribute to a more resilient food system in West Africa.