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Kenyan social entrepreneur, John Oroko, wins Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation Award for Sustainable Development, 2019

Mr John Oroko, the co-founder of Selina Wamucii.
  • John Oroko, the co-founder of Selina Wamucii, received the recognition for the work his innovative company is doing in integrating smallholder farmers, pastoralists and fishing communities into global supply chains.
  • The award was presented by the Commonwealth Secretary-General the RT Hon Patricia Scotland and the The Vice-President of Seychelles Vincent Meriton in the Seychello Island of Mahe.
  • Speaking during the award ceremony, John Oroko said that the award would go a long way in building the necessary momentum for transforming agricultural value chains across Africa.

A Kenyan social entrepreneur, whose company is connecting thousands of smallholder farmers across Africa into global supply chains, has been recognized for his efforts and awarded one of the most prestigious international awards.

John Oroko, the co-founder of Selina Wamucii, received the recognition for the work his innovative company is doing in integrating smallholder farmers, pastoralists and fishing communities into global supply chains and awarded the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation Award for Sustainable Development.

The award was presented by the Commonwealth Secretary-General the RT Hon Patricia Scotland and the The Vice-President of Seychelles Vincent Meriton in the Seychello Island of Mahe.

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Speaking during the award ceremony, John Oroko said that the award would go a long way in building the necessary momentum for transforming agricultural value chains across Africa.

As challenging as our innovation journey has been, this award and recognition gives 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.

The award ceremony event was held during the opening day of the Commonwealth Africa Innovation Ecosystem Workshop.

Facing first-hand the realities that rural farmers grapple with in accessing markets and earning decent household incomes, John, who was brought up in a smallholder farming family, made a resolve to transform farmers’ earnings and found an ally in technology.

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Upon graduating and after a short stint at employment, John quit to start Selina Wamucii, a company named after his mother’s first name and his co-founder mother’s middle name as a way of honouring them for their hard work as smallholder farmers which saw them raise their families from their farm’s proceeds.

The story of our mothers as rural smallholder farmers is the story of tens of thousands more across the country and this inspired me to start Selina Wamucii. I believe that every human being who works hard deserves to have access to opportunities that enable them to live a life of dignity. Smallholders are among the hardest working people on the planet, yet remain a majority of the world’s poorest. It matters to me because 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.

Since co-founding the company in June 2015, the two have managed to enlist over 7,000 farmers across the country who grow high value food among them fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood, spices and other agro commodities which find their way across markets in Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.

To become part of the network, farmers sign up to join Selina through their mobile phones via USSD.

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Email: news@pulselive.co.ke

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