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 The Business Alliance Against Chronic Hunger (BAACH) is the first private-sector-led alliance focusing on hunger reduction and sustainable food production in Africa. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, the Alliance engages over 30 global and local organizations to develop sustainable, commercially viable solutions to hunger and poverty.
The Alliance was formed in 2006 by a group of CEOs and public leaders who outlined an action plan for business to help reduce hunger at the World Economic Forum Annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Initially incorporated as a project of the World Economic Forum, the Alliance established pilot operations in Kenya, where it gained strong support from local leaders. The Alliance now operates independently with support from local and global partners, including the Forum.
 Pilot Work in Siaya District, Kenya
Alliance partners selected Kenya for its initial operations based on:
• High levels of hunger in the District, combined with high potential to increase food production
• A diverse, dynamic and strongly invested private sector (including multinational companies, regional and national firms, small and medium enterprises, social entrepreneurs and micro-enterprise)
• Stable democratic governance at the national level
• Strong commitment from local partners who are highly engaged, experienced and trusted in the local community
• Strong support from the government of Kenya
The Alliance has focused its pilot activities in Siaya District, Kenya. Siaya has at times been ranked as the poorest district in Kenya, and experiences high levels of chronic and seasonal hunger. Challenges facing the district include:
• Poverty: 64% of the population live below the poverty line
• Hunger: 38% of the children are stunted by malnutrition, and 22% are underweight
• Health: There is one doctor for every 96,000 people. Life expectancy is 37 years for men and 43 years for women. An estimated 24% are infected with HIV/AIDS
• Environment: 30% have access to safe drinking water
• Infrastructure: 1% of households have electricity
BAACH Kenya partners – ranging from global CEOs to poor farmers – worked together to develop a joint strategy for business-led action to strengthen food value chains in the district. Alliance partners are now undertaking pilot-scale business initiatives on the ground in Siaya District, testing and developing specific business models with a goal of defining scalable, commercially viable models that can be applied in other regions.
The results of the Alliance’s first year of pilot work were presented in BAACH’s January 2008 report, “The Business Role in Achieving a Green Revolution for Africa: A report on the experience to date of the World Economic Forum’s Business Alliance Against Chronic Hunger.” In 2009, ongoing Alliance pilot activities in Siaya District include 14 business-led initiatives led along the food value chain.
 Leveraging Kenya Learnings for Broader Impact
The Alliance’s work in Kenya serves as a “learning laboratory” to develop scalable business solutions to hunger that can be applied more broadly. BAACH encourages broader application of its business models through collaboration with the Government of Kenya, regional partners, and large-scale initiatives such as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.
The value-chain strategy and specific business models developed by BAACH partners formed the basis of a global-scale report launched by the World Economic Forum in January 2009, “The Next Billions: Business Solutions to Enhance Food Value Chains and Empower the Poor.”
Governance
In June 2009 at the World Economic Forum on Africa, Prime Minister Raila Odinga joined a group of Kenyan CEOs and global partners to announce the Alliance’s transition to local leadership (view press release).
Hosted by the MDG Centre at ICRAF in Nairobi, the Alliance is led by an Executive Board comprised of local and global partners, including the World Economic Forum.
BAACH Executive Board:
James Mwangi
Chief Executive Officer, Equity Bank
Michael Joseph
Chief Executive Officer, Safaricom
David Mureithi
Managing Director, Unilever East & Southern Africa
Kinyua M’bijjewe
Corporate Affairs Director Africa, Monsanto/Seminis
Lisa Dreier
Director of Food Security and Development, World Economic Forum USA
Romano Kiome
Permanent Secretary, Minister of Agriculture, Government of Kenya
Glenn Denning
Director, The MDG Centre
Cornelia Roettger
Director of BAACH Kenya
BAACH Kenya National Council
AGRA, Agriculture Ministry, Care International, Cisco Systems, CNFA-Agmark, Dominion Farm, Equity Bank, Honey Care, Industrialisation Ministry, KBC TV, KPLC, Mace Foods, Maseno University, MDG Centre, MEA Fertilisers, Monsanto/Seminis, Nation Media Group Ltd, National Oil, Osho Chemicals, Promasidor, Rockefeller Foundation, Safaricom, Saga Thrift, Bank, Sealed Air, Africa, Spectre, TechnoServe, Tegemeo Institute, Tetra Pak, TNT, Trade Ministry, Unilever ESA, USAID, Vodafone/Safaricom, Western Seed
For more information on BAACH, please contact Cornelia Roettger at c.roettger@cgiar.org
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