On this latest trip to Eswatini, Africa Lead Christian Rath hit a problem…
we couldn’t reliably measure moisture in the maize stored with our new bagging system.
That matters. Moisture levels determine grain quality, and they tell us whether a new storage method is actually working.
So Christian called Kevin, AgGrandize’s resident maize expert. He recommended a John Deere moisture meter he trusted and ordered it right away. After an eventful international trip, it arrived at Farm Edene safely tucked in Christian’s backpack. 🎒
The team loved it. Within minutes, a slow and uncertain process became fast, accurate, and repeatable. Their favorite feature: it automatically averages the last 20 readings, giving a clear picture of an entire storage lot.
And the numbers Christian reports are exciting:
✅ Moisture holding steady at ~12% three months after bagging, ideal for safe storage
✅ No weevil damage, rot, or bird losses, and almost no insects
✅ Market value up from E300 to E400 per bag since harvest, a 33% gain
The lesson?
Innovation isn’t just about building new systems, it’s about giving farmers the right tools for trusted results. A breakthrough on the farm can appear in many ways, often unexpected, and on this trip it arrived in a simple backpack.
On the same trip, we received updates on Hamara, a major poultry farming network (pictured above) in Zimbabwe that serves thousands of farmers all over the region.
What’s the difference between a smallholder farmer and an agribusiness leader? Hamara aims to grow a whole generation of the latter.
In remote villages, transformation can start with a chicken house.
Hamara’s poultry enterprise helps village families raise 1,000–3,000 chickens, Christian Rath shared some exciting feedback on the work.
The impact is real. Families who typically earn about $120 a month can add roughly $340 a month in income.
The whole household takes part, and children learn vocational skills, entrepreneurship and the basics of agribusiness along the way.
Hamara reinvests its profits in education, vocational training, incubation and agricultural development. The goal is to build local leaders who return home and drive growth from within.
AgGrandize partnered with the Hamara team on two practical challenges:
💧 More reliable water delivery inside the poultry houses
🌬️ An affordable cooling system that reduces summer heat stress while keeping birds dry
This is what we mean by independent, sustainable food systems: strong local businesses, supported by mentorship and investment, creating opportunity that lasts.