In Kenya, where agriculture supports up to 75% of the population, farmers face increasing threats to their livelihoods due to climate change and land degradation, issues impacting the entire African continent. As droughts and extreme weather events intensify in East Africa, Maryanne Gichanga emphasizes the critical role of innovation in building resilience within Kenya’s agricultural sector.
Speaking ahead of the International Day of Clean Energy Day on January 26, Gichanga shared how she has successfully provided farmers with crucial insights into soil health, crop conditions, and weather patterns. Leveraging solar-powered sensors and AI-driven satellite data, she navigates what she describes as a ‘male-dominated field’.
From Farming Roots to Farmer Support
“I grew up in a farming environment; my parents are farmers,” Gichanga explained. “I witnessed many harvests, but when climate change began, we couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Our livelihood depended on farming, so poor harvests directly impacted our quality of life and our ability to attend school.”
Driven by a desire to help her parents and other farming families, Gichanga founded her company. “I always wanted to offer solutions to my parents and other people from farming families. That is what inspired me to start my company and get people who are like-minded to build this solution to support smallholder farmers.”
She highlighted the significant support from Greenovations Africa, an initiative backed by the UN that assists women entrepreneurs. “Greenovations Africa, an initiative supported by the UN which supports women entrepreneurs like myself, was a very important part of the process, because they believed in companies that are small and offered them training and seed capital to help them grow.”
Perseverance in a Patriarchal Landscape
Gichanga acknowledged the challenges of operating in Africa’s often patriarchal communities and the male-dominated agricultural technology sector. “In Africa, communities are quite patriarchal. So, trying to get into this male-dominated field is a thing. It is hard. It has its own challenges, because people would rather work with a man. They feel that men understand what you do better than you do. In many places, they do not believe in female leadership; Even women offering solutions is not a thing they would take up.”
Her success, she attributes to persistence and practical demonstrations. “What really helped me on this journey was persistence and having training and demonstrations to show what we do and that we know what we are doing. You cannot give up. Collaborate with the people you meet and eventually it will work out.”
Maintaining focus on her initial motivation has been key. “It is also important to keep your eyes on why you started; knowing that my parents are no longer struggling and thinking about the millions of children whose parents are farmers, and the futures of those children that would be jeopardized if their parents don’t have stable incomes.”
“Sometimes you look at how far you have come and think, giving up is not an option. So many people depend on you. That is what keeps me focused,” she added.
The Impact of Empowered Farmers
Gichanga finds her greatest reward in witnessing tangible life changes. “My highest point is when I see lives changed directly. When you empower farmers, their lives change.”
“When you see a direct increase in crop yields or when people are no longer struggling, it makes you want to work even harder. When you see that the farmer, who did not even have the money to buy seeds, is in control of the prices they sell their harvest on, that is very encouraging for me.”
An Encouragement to Aspire
For other women and girls interested in agricultural or climate innovation, Gichanga offers strong encouragement. “To other women and girls who want to innovate in agriculture or climate action, I would just say go for it.”
“You will learn along the way, and there are a lot of people who will support you financially or offer technical support, advice, and training. There is no right time to start, and you will never be prepared enough – you just have do it…don’t be scared!”
