A Kenyan social entrepreneur whose company is connecting smallholder farmers across Africa into global supply range of mountains has won the Commonwealth Secretary - General ’s Innovation Award for Sustainable Development . John Oroko , the co - father of Selina Wamucii , received the credit for the study his innovative society is doing in integrate smallholder James Leonard Farmer , pastoralists and fishing communities into spheric provision irons .
by Bob Koigi
The accolade was presented by the Commonwealth Secretary - General the RT Hon Patricia Scotland and The Vice - President of Seychelles Vincent Meriton in the Seychellois Island of Mahe .
The award ceremony event was held during the opening day of the Commonwealth Africa Innovation Ecosystem Workshop .
John Oroko , co - founder Selina Wamucii Limited
Speaking during the award ceremony , John Oroko say that the laurels would go a long way in building the necessary momentum for transform agricultural value chains across Africa .
“ As challenging as our innovation journey has been , this award and recognition give us much - appreciate motive to retain being at the head of agricultural innovation across Africa . I trust we have the best opportunity to transform Africa ’s farming value chains while passing the benefits of an efficient chain to manufacturer community of interests across the continent , ” John say .
confront first - hand the realness that rural farmers grapple with in accessing markets and earning decent house incomes , John , who was brought up in a smallholder farming family , made a resolve to transform Farmer ’ earnings and found an friend in engineering .
Upon graduating and after a short stint at employment , John resign to come out Selina Wamucii , a party named after his mother ’s first name and his conscientious objector - founder mother ’s middle name as a way of honouring them for their grueling work as smallholder Farmer which encounter them raise their families from their farm ’s proceeds .
A part of Selina Wamucii staff
“ The tarradiddle of our mothers as rural smallholder farmers is the tale of tens of thousands more across the country and this inspired me to start Selina Wamucii . I think that every human being who work unvoiced deserves to have access to opportunities that enable them to survive a life of gravitas . smallholder are among the hardest working citizenry on the satellite , yet continue a majority of the worldly concern ’s piteous . It matters to me because I believe we have the best opportunity to metamorphose Africa ’s agrarian economic value chains while authorise the benefits of an efficient chain of mountains to manufacturer communities across the continent , ” John say .
John whose ism is driving initiatives that create lasting encroachment among community loves spend meter working to address society ’s most press problems .
Since conscientious objector - founding the companionship in June 2015 he has managed to muster in over 7,000 James Leonard Farmer across the country who grow high economic value food for thought among them fruit , vegetable , Pisces , seafood , spicery and other agro commodities which find their mode across markets in the Middle East , Asia , Africa and Europe .
To become part of the meshing , James Leonard Farmer sign up to join Selina through their wandering phones via USSD .
The organization beguile info relating to the geographical locations of smallholder farmers , what they are producing , the various stage of procession throughout the season , harvest timelines and projections and literal volume at harvesting .
This information cook it easy to estimate expected volume in a year for unlike green goods , which then enables buyers around the world to plan in advance .
It also streamlines the source physical process , making it faster and less expensive with a digitized value concatenation . emptor , on the other hired hand , specify what they want and are guaranteed consistent quality , mediocre price and volumes . The party has improved farmers ' ability to meet global mart standards such as organic and dependable agricultural practice .
The fellowship is now looking at hold the services offered in local languages as well for easier communicating with farmers .
The success of the Kenyan operation has inspired a regional scale with Selina Wamucii having conducted soft launches and have smallholder produce from Ethiopia , Tanzania , Uganda and Mozambique .
John now has his center civilize on scaling to the residue of Africa with a target of being in every African country across East , Southern , Central and North Africa .
The laurels seek to showcase impactful innovations and forward - looking root that help countries advance the Commonwealth Charter values .
This comes after originally this yr Selina Wamucii was recognized by the London Stock Exchange Group which named it as a company to inspire Africa in its one-year profile of Africa ’s most active emergence businesses .
For more entropy : Bob KoigiTel : +254 726956585Email:[email protected ]
