Ten outstanding women entrepreneurs have been honoured at the 2025 Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards (WAYA), a pan-African platform that recognises women who are redefining the future of agriculture through innovation, resilience, and leadership.
The winners, drawn from a competitive pool of nearly 2,000 applicants across Africa, are directly addressing challenges identified in the African Food Systems Framework (AFSF) 2025 report, which calls for urgent action on food insecurity and climate change. Their enterprises are pioneering solutions in value addition, ag-tech, and sustainable farming to combat malnutrition, reduce food waste, and mitigate the effects of climate shocks.
In total, US$300,000 in grant funding from the ValueForHer programme was awarded to support these women-led ventures, reinforcing the strategic importance of investing in female leadership to unlock Africa’s economic potential. The winners represent a diverse range of countries including Benin, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Highlights from the 2025 WAYA Awards include:
- Grand Prize Winner: Mathildah Amollo, Kenya – Founder of Greatlakes Feeds Ltd, which produces eco-friendly fish feeds and fingerlings, empowering women in Siaya County to enter commercial aquaculture while tackling overfishing and malnutrition.
- Women Empowerment Champion: Juliet Kakwerre N Tumusiime, Uganda – Founder of Cheveux Organique, producing Africa’s first biodegradable banana fibre hair extensions that generate income for over 2,000 rural women.
- Resilient & Inspirational Leader: Julienne Olawolé Agossadou, Benin – Founder of SEDAMI, transforming rice husks into a medium for mushroom farming, improving nutrition and livelihoods with minimal land use.
- Outstanding Value-Adding Entrepreneur: Roberta Edu-Oyedokun, Nigeria – Founder of Moppet Foods, producing biofortified cereals and nutrient-rich spreads, including the world’s first fruit-infused peanut spread, to fight child malnutrition.
- Female Ag-Tech Innovator: Joyce Waithira Rugano, Kenya – Founder of Ecorich Solutions, which developed the solar-powered “WasteBot decomposer” that converts organic waste into fertiliser within 24 hours, while working with over 400 women waste collectors in Nairobi.
- Young Female Agripreneur (Rising Star): Onicca Sibanyona, South Africa – Founder of Jwale Farms, advancing climate-smart agribusiness and resilient rural economies while supporting youth and young mothers.
Regional winners of the Rising Star category included:
- East Africa: Arlène, Burundi – Founder of SEFACO, boosting women’s participation in fish farming.
- West Africa: Baliqees Salaudeen-Ibrahim, Nigeria – CEO of Green Republic Farms, advancing climate-smart vegetable farming with renewable energy.
- Central Africa: Elie Mbeki Busha Pongo, DRC – Founder of La Fleur, producing 100 percent natural bouillon cubes from local ingredients.
- Southern Africa: Lusungu, Malawi – Founder of Lweya Honey, promoting beekeeping and forest conservation while creating market opportunities for women and youth.
Alice Ruhweza, President of AGRA, praised the winners for their impact:
“These founders have turned constraints into thriving businesses. Collectively, they have increased annual incomes by an estimated 35 percent, saved millions of tonnes of produce from spoilage, and delivered food to over 500,000 households. Their businesses prove that innovation and resilience are alive across Africa’s food systems. At AGRA, our role is to back them with stronger policy support, smarter finance, and access to bigger markets so they can multiply their reach and drive systemic change.”
The 2025 WAYA winners embody the transformative potential of women-led enterprises. With the right support, they are not only building successful businesses but also laying the foundation for Africa’s sustainable and food-secure future.
