Arbres Biotech

Arbres Biotech Ltd. operates within Kenya's agricultural sector, focusing on the production and distribution of high-quality seedlings derived from tissue culture technology. The company was established on January 10, 2018, by Dr. Rachel Ikawa, whose background in biotechnology and personal experience with the difficulty of propagating orchids inspired the venture. The initial idea, born from a family's passion for orchids, was successfully tested by applying tissue culture concepts to germinate thousands of seedlings from a single pod in a controlled, soil-less environment.

The firm's business model encompasses both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) channels, serving a client base that ranges from individual farmers to nurseries. Initially, the company's objective was to provide seedlings to various nurseries, but the model has since been refined to concentrate on high-value crops to ensure commercial viability. This strategic shift prioritizes developing a strong base of commercially significant customers over a larger volume of smaller farmers requiring low-value crops. Arbres Biotech generates revenue through the sale of these specialized seedlings. The company's mission is to provide access to affordable, quality planting materials to its partners and clients, aiming to promote economic empowerment through agricultural diversification.

The core of Arbres Biotech's service is its application of tissue culture, a technique for propagating plants from small tissue samples in a controlled laboratory setting. This method allows for rapid multiplication and the production of clean, disease-free seedlings, offering higher yields compared to traditional farming. The product line includes tissue-cultured seedlings of bananas (varieties like Uganda Green, Williams Hybrid, and Cavendish), sweet potatoes (including orange-fleshed types like Irene and Kabode), Irish potatoes (Shangi), arrowroots, and orchids (Cattleya, Aerangis). The company began at an idea stage and received crucial support through the @iBizAfrica women in tech program in 2018, which provided business incubation and training. Having secured seed funding in July 2020, Arbres Biotech aims to establish its own independent laboratory and nursery facilities to manage growth and further scale its operations in the East African market.

Keywords: agricultural biotechnology, tissue culture, seedling production, Kenyan agritech, high-value crops, plant propagation, nursery supplier, banana seedlings, potato seedlings, orchid cultivation, clean planting material, agricultural diversification, Dr. Rachel Ikawa, iBizAfrica, sustainable agriculture, crop multiplication, commercial farming, East Africa agriculture, plant biotechnology, ag-tech startup