Meet the Women-Led Agtech Ventures Shaping the Future of Food in East Africa

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As East Africa adapts to modern agricultural solutions, women-led startups are proving that innovation has many voices. Take for instance, ventures like Rhea and Chiseko, where women are building tools that solve real farming problems. In doing so, these ventures show how female founders can drive systems change and, at the same time, position more women as decision-makers in the agritech space.

Meet Ten (10) Transformative Women-Led Agtech Ventures in East Africa 

Here’s a look at ten agritech ventures led by women in East Africa. 

Tazania 

1. EatFresh  

• Focus Areas: Processing, packaging, and distributing fresh fruits and vegetables to local and export markets.
• Founded: 2015
• Location: Iringa, Tanzania
• Stage: Growth
• Reach: The company works with over 7,000 smallholder farmers, including over 5,000 in contract and hundreds of outgrower scheme. 

EatFresh is the export brand of GBRI, a women-led agribusiness in Tanzania that connects farmers to international buyers through stronger systems for handling and delivery. Headed by Hadija Jabiri, it began with its own tomato and pepper farms, but later expanded by working with nearby growers. As local supermarkets turned to imports, GBRI looked beyond domestic markets. 

Under the EatFresh name, it built a packhouse with cold rooms and secured a refrigerated truck to move goods to the airport. The company has cracked the European market and today, it supplies retailers in the UK, Ireland, and India. More than 90% Eatfresh’s peak seasons workers are women, many now leading across operations and sales.

2. Phema Agri 

• Focus Areas: Digital farming contracts, input financing, and market access for smallholder farmers.
• Founded: 2018
• Location: Dar es Salaam
• Stage: Undisclosed funding

Phema Agri is the flagship platform of Smart Agri-Tech, founded by Daniella Kwayu to unlock financing for smallholder farmers in Tanzania. It allows individuals to invest in agriculture through a digital model that links farmers to inputs, training, and ready markets. Farmers join vetted groups, receive supplies on credit, and repay through harvest sales. 

Every contract is backed by an off-take agreement and tracked digitally to ensure transparency and lower risk for both sides. Investors fund these cycles and share in the profits. At its core, Phema Agri strengthens rural income and puts more women at the heart of food production.

Kenya 

3. Agritech Analytics 

• Focus Areas: Farm data systems and satellite mapping for smallholder support
• Founded: 2020
• Location: Nairobi
• Stage: Seed stage (undisclosed funding)
• Reach: 5897+ farmers onboarded; 84+ detectable; 6 countries onboarded
  

Built by a trained agronomist, this women inclusive platform co-founded by Maryanne Gichanga, Douglas Mwangi and Juliet Wanjohi,  uses AI and field-level data to help smallholder farmers improve their harvests. Agritech Analytics focuses on underserved rural areas, where access to timely information are often out of reach. Through local partnerships, it shares real-time updates on weather, soil shifts, and crop conditions. 

The system blends satellite images with data from solar-powered sensors to send clear, accurate advice to farmers by phone. Each message supports smarter growing decisions. Ultimately, the company works to reduce hunger and poverty by turning complex data into simple steps for better food production.

4. Rhea

• Focus Areas: Precision soil testing using IoT devices; AI-driven fertilizer and crop recommendation tools
• Founded: 2022 
• Location: Nairobi, Kenya
• Stage: Pre‑seed / seed growth (~$150K investment via Village Capital and Standard Chartered Women in Tech in late 2024) 

Rather than focus on single farms, this women-led venture takes a broader approach to climate-smart agriculture across East Africa. Rhea, founded by Soinato Leboo and Priscillah Wakarera, encourages regenerative methods and smarter fertilizer use to build long-term resilience against harsh weather and shifting climate patterns. 

In 2024, the company secured $150,000 from Village Capital through Standard Chartered Bank’s Women in Tech Financing Facility. That funding now supports expansion, stronger data systems, and deeper engagement in rural communities. Behind it all is a practical mission—to give farmers better tools for sustainability, improve soil health, and make food systems less vulnerable to climate shocks.

5. Farm to Feed

• Focus Areas: Provides data-driven logistics for food loss reduction
• Founded: 2021
• Location: Nairobi, Kenya
• Stage: Pre‑seed / early-stage (Raised equity and grant support, including ~$1M from Catalyst Fund and other partners) 
• Reach: The company currently works with around 800 farmers and serves 40 customers. 

What began as a food rescue project during the pandemic has grown into a women-led agritech venture reshaping how surplus produce moves across Kenya. Farm to Feed was founded by Claire van Enk, Anouk Boertien, and Zara Benosa, to connect farmers to schools, hotels, and other buyers through a digital platform.  

The team uses climate data and predictive tools to match supply with demand. This cuts food waste and lowers emissions. With support from the GSMA Innovation Fund, they’re building a mobile tool to buy directly from farmers and scale operations.

Zambia

6. Chiseko 

• Focus Areas: Agricultural Technology, Decision Support Systems, Geographic Information systems, Supply Chain Specialists
• Founded: 2022
• Location: Chibombo, Central, Zambia 
• Stage: Growth | Supported through grants, including USD 10,000 from the Standard Chartered Women in Tech incubator in 2024 
• Reach: Works with small and medium-scale horticultural farmers across Zambia. 

Chiseko uses mobile tools and real-time dashboards to help farmers in Zambia find markets and move their produce with less hassle. Its platform works through USSD, app, and web, so farmers can choose what suits them. Alongside the tech, Chiseko offers advice on how to plan crops better and meet quality standards. 

The work is spearheaded by Esineya Chilumbu, whose leadership reflects the rising influence of women in digital agriculture. Through this mix of tools and support, Chiseko is shaping a more connected and responsive food system across the country.

7. Farm23 Strawberry

• Focus Areas: Organic strawberry production & value‑added processing (jam, seedlings)
• Founded: 2009 (business launched from a family farm; startup scaled around 2015)
• Location: Lusaka, Zambia
• Stage: Bootstrapped with support from mentorship programs 
• Reach: Operates a farm with ~96,000 strawberry plants, employs 26 workers (majority women).  

Farm23 Strawberry began as a small experiment—just 20 plants, and has grown into a major local supplier with close to 100,000 strawberry plants. It now provides fresh fruit and organic jam to both domestic and regional markets. At the heart of its growth is Bupe Chipili Mulapesi, whose inspiration came from a woman farmer in Australia. 

Through an outgrower model, she trains others, mostly women, to grow high-quality strawberries for retailers and export buyers. But her goal stretches beyond growing. She’s working to build a stronger value chain that covers everything from seedlings to store shelves.

Wrap Up

Are women shaping agritech in East Africa? Absolutely! Across the region, we’ve seen them lead with sharp ideas and grounded insight. Their ventures show what’s possible when solutions meet real needs. That’s proof that women aren’t just participating in agtech but also helping define its future.