Ghana’s agriculture sector is vast , contributing nearly 20% to GDP and employing almost a third of the population but it’s also deeply fragmented. For the majority of smallholder farmers, inconsistent crop quality, volatile incomes, and weak market linkages remain daily realities.
Now, Accra-based agritech startup Complete Farmer has secured $5m in debt financing from Swiss impact investor Symbiotics, part of a $22m Series A round the company is currently raising. Last month, the startup also closed €2.2m from AgriFI, an EU-funded initiative supporting sustainable agriculture in emerging markets.
Founded in 2017, Complete Farmer runs a digital platform that connects more than 12,000 growers to both local and international buyers, while providing farmers with agronomic expertise, inputs, and support to meet export-grade standards. It’s part of a growing wave of African agritech startups betting on technology to rewire food systems — from Kenya’s Apollo Agriculture to Nigeria’s ThriveAgric.
“This investment marks a pivotal moment in our mission to build Africa’s most efficient agricultural supply chains,” says Desmond Koney, Complete Farmer’s CEO. “With Symbiotics’ backing, we can accelerate our work in empowering farmers with the tools, knowledge, and market access they need to thrive.”
For Symbiotics, which specialises in impact investments in frontier markets, Complete Farmer’s approach represents a “scalable, sustainable solution to one of Africa’s most pressing challenges.” “We’ve been particularly impressed by how they integrate technology to deliver agronomic expertise across a large network of smallholder farmers,” says Vincent Lehner, Head of Markets at Symbiotics.
The funding comes as investor appetite for African agritech gathers momentum. According to Disrupt Africa, startups in the sector raised over $200m in 2024, fuelled by food security concerns, climate adaptation needs, and digitisation of supply chains. Still, challenges persist: many struggle to scale beyond pilot projects, while rural infrastructure gaps — from roads to storage facilities — remain major hurdles.
Complete Farmer is betting that its blended approach — combining digital tools, physical infrastructure, and guaranteed market access — will give it the edge. The $5m debt injection will go toward expanding operations, improving logistics, and onboarding more farmers as the company works to close its $22m Series A.
