Indiana Exporter Success: Helping Farmers in East Africa

JUA Technologies International is a minority-owned manufacturer that is helping smallholder farms in less-developed countries utilizesolar energy to dry freshly harvested produce. Founded in 2016 by Drs. Klein and Reiko Ileleji, JUA operates from Purdue Technology Park in West Lafayette. JUA is addressing the long-standing difficulty small farmers face in losing large amounts of farm produce to spoilage due to lack of affordable drying technology. Spoilage is a major global food security issue given that small farms produce over 80 percent of the food in Asia and Africa. 

Early on, Klein contacted the U.S. Commercial Service in Indiana for assistance in finding new international partners. The Indiana office then collaborated directly with U.S. Commercial Service colleagues on the ground at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya to help JUA locate a partner which facilitated the company’s entry into the the Kenyan market. Since then, JUA has expanded its sales and established a subsidiary company in Kenya (Dehytech East Africa Limited) that services East African markets.

Along the way, JUA has also leveraged U.S. Small Business Administration export financing and EXIM Bank credit insurance. The result was a triple win for consumers, farmers and the environment. Drying crops to produce nutritious foods will help solve food insecurity, reduce greenhouse gases, and provide better income for small growers globally. 

“What drives me and my business is a passion for improving the lives of small farmers,” says Klein, who is also a professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue University. “Making our product in the USA and selling it globally is a dream come true - export sales sustain our business and account for 99 percent of overall sales.”  

Klein offers this advice to other businesses looking to export: “Be sure to take advantage of federal export resources such as the U.S. Commercial Service early on. They know what’s out there, offer many services, and can help with logistics. Without their help, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Learn more about JUA Technologies International by visiting their website: https://juatechnology.com/pages/our-story-dawn.