Sidai is a vertically integrated business that helps farmers and pastoralists all over Kenya by giving them high-quality livestock and agricultural inputs and training.
Sidai was founded in 2011, and as of now, its products and services are sold in more than 100 of the company’s stores and by 350 stockists.
The company also has branded, fully staffed, company-run, and franchised retail locations with Stuckists and field employees.
Farmers and herders who use the facilities get high-quality seeds and fertilizers for their crops, as well as veterinary and animal care services.
Sidai’s innovative “last mile” service delivery method lets it reach farmers and pastoralists in areas that are not being served or are not being served well enough.
Most of the people who keep animals in Kenya are pastoralists. Historically, commercial livestock service providers have ignored these areas and their cattle in favor of the more profitable dairy and poultry industries.
A unique thing about Sidai is that many of its centers are in rural areas that are hard to get to and will serve pastoralists.
Sidai has experience in launching successful livestock service systems.
How it Works
Vaccination Services
Sidai strongly suggests that livestock should be vaccinated regularly to cut down on the number of livestock deaths and the amount of lost productivity due to disease.
The company offers a full vaccination service, including the distribution and administration of vaccines for cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as for commercial and village poultry systems.
Additionally, Sidai can contract with county governments, funders, and NGOs to help them vaccinate a large number of people.
Mastitis Control
Mastitis is a common disease that affects dairy cows. It can cause milk production to drop, milk to be rejected, high medical costs, and even the loss of udder function for good.
Sidai helps farmers keep their cows from getting mastitis by giving them:
- The California Mastitis Test is used to check the quality of milk.
- Therapy for the udders of cows.
- An udder bacteria killer called Valiant Express teat dip.
- Salve used to keep the udders of Sidai healthy so they could be milked.
Sidai also advises that milking into a Mazzican with a black funnel, which you can buy at Sidai stores, can help find udder infections early on.
Livestock Health & Production
Sidai supports a method of managing livestock called “Herd Health.” This method focuses on good nutrition and the use of effective ways to prevent disease, such as regular vaccinations, good sanitation, and biosecurity, spraying against ticks, and using dewormers at the right time.
If these precautions are taken, Sidai clients can farm profitably and without stress.
As an Antibiotic Guardian, Sidai is committed to reducing the use of antibiotics in Kenya’s cattle industry as much as possible.
Livestock Disease Diagnosis
Sidai offers its clients several diagnostic services, both on-farm and through simple lab tests including:-
- Detecting Mastitis
- Counting the number of eggs in feces to find out how common internal parasites are.
- Tick-borne diseases like trypanosomiasis, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and so on can be diagnosed by looking for parasites in the blood.
- Surgery on the bodies of the dead
- On-farm tests of milk quality
Sidai also goes on missions to look into illnesses with the help of the county government’s veterinary team and the Director of Veterinary Services.
On-Farm Advice & Product Delivery
Sidai can offer a wide range of services to farmers on their farms, such as consulting, health care, vaccines, and even delivery of goods.
Crop Health & Production
Sidai helps farmers increase the amount of food and plants they can grow.
How healthy and productive plants depend on how fertile the soil is where they grow.
On-Farm Soil Testing
Sidai tests the soil on farms using a portable Near Infrared Spectrometer from Agrocares.
Test results, including suggestions for fertilizer, are sent to farmers’ phones or printed out right away.
The farmer gets three suggestions for fertilizers based on the kinds of fertilizers that are easy to get in the area.
On-Farm Advice on Crops & Products Delivery
Sidai offers consulting soil analysis and the delivery of finished goods as services on farms.
This helps customers run their farms more efficiently and cost-effectively.
Professional Training
Sidai offers many different kinds of short courses for people who already have jobs.
The Kenya Veterinary Board has approved the company as a valid Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training provider.
Farmer Training
The experts at Sidai often put on workshops for groups of farmers that are both interesting and helpful.
Sidai’s way of teaching is different because it puts a lot of emphasis on doing things in the real world and makes farmers treat their jobs like businesses.
When productivity goes up quickly, it helps farmers make more money and improves the health of their families.
Founders
Christie Peacock CBE
Christie Peacock CBE is the CEO and Chair of Sidai Africa. She has been a CEO before when she ran Farm Africa.
She is a social entrepreneur who has helped small farmers and herders in Africa for more than 40 years.
She has also spent her whole life working on research and development for livestock around the world.
Christie graduated with a Ph.D. in International Agriculture at the University of Reading. She later went to Harvard Business School to pursue a degree in Executive education.
Investors & Funding Rounds
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, AHL Venture Partners, Devenish Nutrition
Devenish put $2.25 million into the Series A financing of Sidai Africa.
With the money, the company will be able to sell more products and reach more customers.
AHL Venture Partners gave about $3 million in debt and equity, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gave $9 million.
Main Competitors
Milkbasket: It sells food and cleaning products to its customers.
Habitat Logistics: It works with restaurants to make food deliveries easier.
Rohlik: This is a service provider that promises to bring your groceries to you within 90 minutes after you place your order.
Related:
Farm Crowdy: Story, Founders, Investors & Funding Rounds