Impacts of COVID-19 on small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Kenyan food system


GAIN and partners, including the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Business Network (co-convened by the World Food Programme (WFP)), undertook a survey of food system SMEs in Kenya in October/November 2020, aiming to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated control measures on their businesses and their support needs.

This survey follows one in May 2020, results of which are available here.

  • 47 responses were received, with most being from micro- or small-sized firms; respondents were primarily processors
  • within the grain value chain.
  • 46 firms (98%) reported being impacted by the pandemic, mainly via decreased sales (83%), difficulty accessing financing (72%) and limited financial reserves (63%).
  • For most firms, impacts had lessened over time; about 80% of the firms reported that business operations had improved, however their businesses were still worse off than before the pandemic.
  • 96% reported changing their production volume as a result of the pandemic (generally decreasing it), and 78% reported changing their product price.