This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
July 10, 2019
John Oroko, a Kenyan social entrepreneur, has made history by winning the prestigious Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation Award for Sustainable Development. The award recognizes his innovative company, Selina Wamucii, for connecting smallholder farmers, pastoralists, and fishing communities into global supply chains.
The award ceremony took place during the opening day of the Commonwealth Africa Innovation Ecosystem Workshop on the Seychellois Island of Mahe. The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the RT Hon Patricia Scotland, and the Vice-President of Seychelles, Vincent Meriton, presented the award.
Speaking during the ceremony, John Oroko expressed his gratitude and said the award would boost momentum for transforming agricultural value chains across Africa.
“As challenging as our innovation journey has been, this award and recognition give us much appreciated motivation to continue being at the forefront of agricultural innovation across Africa. I believe we have the best opportunity to transform Africa’s agricultural value chains while passing the benefits of an efficient chain to producer communities across the continent,” John said.
John’s journey began when he was brought up in a smallholder farming family. He witnessed firsthand the struggles rural farmers face in accessing markets and earning decent incomes. This experience inspired him to transform farmers’ earnings and find a solution through technology.
After graduating and working briefly, John quit his job to start Selina Wamucii in June 2015. The company has since enlisted over 7,000 farmers across the country, who grow high-value food such as fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood, spices, and other agro commodities. These products are sold in markets across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
John’s vision is to create lasting impact among communities. He believes that every human being who works hard deserves access to opportunities that enable them to live a life of dignity. Smallholders are among the hardest working people on the planet, yet they remain a majority of the world’s poorest.
Since its inception, Selina Wamucii has improved farmers’ ability to meet global market standards such as organic and good agricultural practices. The company is now looking to offer its services in local languages for easier communication with farmers.
The success of the Kenyan operation has inspired a regional scale, with Selina Wamucii conducting soft launches and featuring smallholder produce from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Mozambique. John aims to scale the company to the rest of Africa, targeting every African country across East, Southern, Central, and North Africa.
