Ecobed Biotech, CEO, Jovia Kisaakye has been named the Young Female Agripreneur (Rising Star) winner at the 2024 Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards (WAYA) at the ongoing Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
The forum hosted (Sep. 2-6) by the government of Rwanda and the AFS Forum Partner’s group, is one of the largest annual summits on agriculture and food systems in Africa. The summit puts a spotlight on the continental agenda on food systems and showcases innovative approaches & solutions, proven business models, best practices, and the latest technologies that can transform agriculture and food systems in Africa while creating job opportunities.
On the sidelines of the forum were the Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards (WAYA) —(AGRA) Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa’s prestigious award scheme that recognizes women agripreneurs demonstrating remarkable innovation and business excellence in agricultural value chains in Africa. The awards not only celebrate their remarkable achievements but reward them with grants of up to USD$300,000 (approx. UGX1.2 billion).
The awards recognize established and emerging women agripreneurs in five distinct categories namely; Young Female Agripreneur (Rising Star), Outstanding Value-Adding Enterprise, Female Agtech Innovator, Women Empowerment Champion, and Resilient and Inspirational Leader.
From Uganda, Ecobed Biotech, Director and CEO, Jovia Kisaakye has emerged as the winner of the Young Female Agripreneur (Rising Star) award. The award recognizes high-potential young females ( under the age of 35 years) demonstrating innovation and leadership in agribusiness. Her award comes with a monetary prize of USD$25,000 (approx. UGX92.8 million).
“I’m so excited about this recognition which looks out for women across Africa adding value in the agricultural sector. First and foremost, I was competing with companies that have existed for a long time, and coming out as a winner is a big testament to the impact we have had in our communities,” Kisaakye told PC Tech Magazine. “With this award, we will be in a position to support more farmers with sustainable farm inputs, and also scale our services across different markets.”
She added, “I aim to build and empower more young girls to get to where I am and achieve even more than this.”
Kisaakye told PC Tech Magazine they will use the funds to improve and grow their company, Ecobed Biotech, a biotechnology company that transforms spoilt milk into mosquito-repellent skincare lotion. Additionally, the company employs black soldier fly biotechnology to convert organic food waste into highly nutritious animal feeds and organic fertilizers.
“We have a variety of products in the pipeline that need certification from relevant bodies like UNBS and we hope this money will go a long way to help us achieve certification and quality checks for our new products,” she said —adding “We also want to scale on our distribution model to serve a wider East African market with our products.”
The key products of Ecobed Biotech include mosquito repellent skincare lotion, cream, essential oils, organic fertilizers, and feeds for fish & animals.
