{"id":19061,"date":"2025-09-04T21:26:34","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T18:26:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africasustainabilitymatters.com\/?p=19061"},"modified":"2026-01-11T05:32:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T05:32:00","slug":"agra-crowns-africas-top-women-agripreneurs-at-2025-waya-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rayscohosting.best\/ASM\/2025\/09\/04\/agra-crowns-africas-top-women-agripreneurs-at-2025-waya-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"AGRA crowns Africa\u2019s top women agripreneurs at 2025 WAYA awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the Africa Food Systems Forum<\/a> (AFS Forum) in Dakar this week, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa<\/a> (AGRA) shone the spotlight on six women whose grit, ingenuity, and leadership are redefining agribusiness across Africa. The 2025 Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards (WAYA) celebrated the extraordinary contributions of women entrepreneurs who are tackling hunger, waste, and poverty while building sustainable enterprises that create jobs and strengthen local economies.<\/p>\n

Chosen from a record pool of nearly 2,000 applicants spanning more than ten countries, the winners represent the continent\u2019s most innovative and impactful female-led agribusinesses. Each received part of the USD 300,000 grant funding awarded this year, designed to help scale solutions that improve livelihoods, reduce food loss, and expand access to nutrition.<\/p>\n

Read also:\u00a0Africa\u2019s youth entrepreneurs push leaders to back innovation with policy and capital at AFS Forum 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The coveted Grand Prize went to Mathildah Amollo of Kenya, founder of Greatlakes Feeds Ltd, recognised for building a pioneering enterprise that provides affordable, high-quality animal feeds to smallholder farmers while reducing post-harvest losses in cereals. Uganda\u2019s Juliet Kakwerre N Tumusiime, founder of Cheveux Organique, took home the Women Empowerment Champion award for her work in creating employment pathways for rural women. From Benin, Julienne Olawol\u00e9 Agossadou, founder of SEDAMI \u2013 La Reine des Champignons, was honoured as Resilient & Inspirational Leader, having transformed mushroom cultivation into both a sustainable enterprise and a lifeline for rural households.<\/p>\n

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Winners of WAYA awards by AGRA having a light moment on stage during the awards ceremony at AFS forum 2025<\/p><\/div>\n

Nigeria\u2019s Roberta Edu-Oyedokun, CEO of Moppet Foods, won the Outstanding Value-Adding Enterprise award for her role in turning local crops into nutritious, market-ready foods. The Female Ag-Tech Innovator prize went to Joyce Waithira Rugano of Kenya, founder of Ecorich Solutions, which is harnessing technology to reduce food waste and improve soil health. South Africa\u2019s Onicca Sibanyona, the 27-year-old founder of Jwale Farms, was named Young Female Agripreneur (Rising Star) for her work in poultry and horticulture, which is creating jobs for young people in her community.<\/p>\n

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In announcing the winners, AGRA President Alice Ruhweza highlighted the scale of their impact. Collectively, these women-led businesses have increased annual incomes for farmers by an estimated 35 percent, saved millions of tonnes of produce from spoilage, and delivered food to more than half a million households. \u201cAcross every category, these founders have turned constraints into thriving enterprises,\u201d she said. \u201cTheir businesses prove that innovation and resilience are alive across Africa\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

The WAYA awards are more than a celebration of individual success; they represent a growing movement to embed women at the centre of Africa\u2019s agricultural transformation. For decades, women have contributed the majority of agricultural labour on the continent, yet they face systemic barriers to land, finance, and markets. AGRA\u2019s VALUE4HER initiative, under which WAYA was launched in 2021, seeks to close those gaps by creating networks, building capacity, and channeling investment directly to women-led agribusinesses.<\/p>\n

Read also:\u00a0AWIEF awards 2025 finalists: Honoring the power of women driving innovation, equality, and green growth across Africa<\/a><\/p>\n

According to Nana Yaa Boakyewaa Amoah, AGRA\u2019s Director for Gender, Youth and\u00a0 Inclusiveness, the pipeline of women entrepreneurs is not only growing but also diversifying. \u201cWe are seeing more technology-driven models, more regional trade links, and real evidence of job creation, especially for women and youth,\u201d she said. \u201cVALUE4HER exists to open doors to capital, buyers, and the right networks so these women can lead from the front. Their success is vital to inclusive food systems transformation across the continent.\u201d<\/p>\n

The breadth of innovation on display was evident in the judging process. Martha Haile, Founder and CEO of Abze Africa and one of the WAYA 2025 judges, said she was struck by the resilience and creativity of the applicants. \u201cThese women leaders faced significant barriers with an incredible ability to adapt,\u201d she reflected. \u201cExamples ranged from using sensors to protect bee colonies to innovating waste-to-income models. Their work goes beyond mere survival; it redefines resilience. It is a true honour to celebrate a generation of leaders who are not only building and scaling their businesses but also uplifting entire communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read also:\u00a0Ghana pitches $4bn agribusiness opportunities at Dakar forum to cut imports and create jobs<\/a><\/p>\n

That community impact is where the WAYA awards find their deepest meaning. Winners are not only building profitable companies but also reshaping Africa\u2019s food systems to be more sustainable, inclusive, and responsive to local needs. By reducing waste, adding value to crops, introducing ag-tech solutions, and empowering women and youth with jobs and training, they are tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing the continent\u2019s agricultural sector.<\/p>\n

The timing is also significant. Africa\u2019s food systems remain under strain from climate change, post-harvest losses, and rising import bills. Women agripreneurs like this year\u2019s WAYA laureates offer a blueprint for resilience, showing how local innovation can deliver both economic opportunity and food security.<\/p>\n

Four years since its launch, the WAYA initiative has become a cornerstone of AGRA\u2019s strategy to centre women in Africa\u2019s agricultural transformation. As the applause in Dakar fades, the stories of these six winners send a clear message: Africa\u2019s food future will be shaped not only by policies and investments but also by the determination of women entrepreneurs who are rewriting the rules of agribusiness, one innovation at a time.<\/p>\n

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