Kilimo Trust started its operations in East Africa in 2005 as a research entity and grant-giving organization to support research that connected science with farmers. At that time, the Trust was funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation (GCF) which was founded by Lord David Sainsbury in 1967 to support multiple projects in Africa and Asia.

Between 2005 and 2010, with funding of over US$13 million, Kilimo Trust supported farmer institutions, government research organizations like the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) of Uganda, processors, civil society organizations (CSOs), and financial institutions in the five East African Community (EAC) member states. We also supported about 50 projects on research, testing approach for financing, how to support market access, and various other projects.