AgDevCo

Hatch Africa (“Hatch”) provides productive, resilient chickens to millions of families in rural Africa. These chicks are an improved dual-purpose breed that is more productive and feed-efficient than local breeds, helping increase smallholder farmers’ (SHF) poultry productivity. The company works through an agent-driven distribution network, who breed the day-old chicks and then sell them to SHF customers. These farmers raise chickens and harvest eggs for household consumption, supporting household food security. Additionally, SHFs generate income through selling surplus eggs and chicken at local markets.

AgDevCo has been Hatch's largest external investor since 2016, supporting the company's expansion from Ethiopia into five new markets across Africa. We are a long-term partner, with support going beyond capital. AgDevCo's Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) works directly with Hatch's team to train agents and SHF customers on good poultry practices, digitalise field operations, sharpen feed and production quality, and enhance management systems to support the company's growth across all six markets.

By the end of 2025, TA-funded programmes had reached over 7,000 agents and more than 12,000 SHF customers on good poultry practices, with women accounting for around a fifth of trained agents and a third of trained farmer customers. Findings from our recent publication show that when SHFs receive practical, well-designed support, they become more productive and commercially engaged, generating stronger demand for inputs and services in a way that benefits agribusiness investees and farming households alike.

Alice Chang, Chief Operating Officer at Hatch Africa, describes how that support has shaped the business:

“AgDevCo's TA has been integral to Hatch's growth across digitalisation, last-mile reach, and production quality. Access to specialist consulting has upskilled our teams on animal welfare, nutrition, and ESG, strengthening our operational excellence across all six markets.”

Reaching SHFs in remote areas and building trust are key challenges in agricultural sales. TA support has extended Hatch’s last-mile reach. Sales teams conducted awareness meetings with over 19,000 agents and SHF customers, increasing awareness of poultry as a business and the likelihood of adoption for Hatch’s offerings.

TA-supported progress in digitising company operations has enabled Hatch to access real-time data from field sales, order dispatch, customer support and chick production. This has sharpened decision-making across the company.

One example of how training translates into results is Uzima Uganda, where AgDevCo's TAF has supported a project since 2021 to strengthen the capacity of poultry agents and SHF customers. District-wide training on poultry rearing, disease management and marketing strategies reached over 9,200 rural beneficiaries. Agents who completed poultry nutrition sessions were ordering more day-old chicks and purchasing more feed.

“Before the trainings, my profits from brooding were small because I was not feeding my birds correctly. Currently I save close to 220,000 UGX [or c.$60 per cycle] on feeding, because I was taught how to use and mix concentrate feeds after the first two weeks.” — Namatovu Eva, agent in Kayunga

A qualitative study conducted with Bath Social & Development Research found that these interventions were improving income, food security, diet and wellbeing for smallholder customers, with both women and men reporting that increased poultry income was opening other income-generating activities. One female farmer customer described expanding into event equipment rental using profits earned from poultry.

“I also earn money from events management; I hire out tents, chairs and cook at event[s]… I managed to start up my functions hire business using the profits from poultry. I was able to purchase three 100-seater tents, 10 big saucepans and 300 chairs.”— Female SHF customer, Masaka

The study also surfaced a practical barrier: women were less able to attend training sessions held away from home. Hatch has since acted on that finding, moving trainings closer to where farmers live to make them more accessible for women in the household.

Download the Hatch Africa and AgDevCo Technical Assistance Facility Project Spotlight here.