Rebuilding broken systems isn’t just about innovation, it’s about restoring dignity to the people they’ve left behind. In Tanzania, where agriculture employs 65% of the population, over half of farmers’ produce never reaches the market. Broken value chains, unfair pricing, and post-harvest losses have long undermined farmer livelihoods. But Elia Timotheo, an Acumen Fellow and founder of East Africa Foods, decided to take a different path. By listening first. Instead of rushing to solutions, Elia immersed himself in the lived experiences of farmers and buyers. He then built a business that added value at every stage of the chain — from training farmers, to cold-chain logistics, to enabling credit access for small informal retailers. Read this case study to learn how a systems-thinking approach, rooted in deep listening and empathy, can unlock scalable impact: https://hubs.la/Q03gcL-P0
