Selina Wamucii (| səˈliːnə wæˈmuːʃɪɘ |) is an agricultural company and social enterprise that markets produce from smallholder farmers by integrating with cooperatives, producer organizations, agro-processors, small and medium enterprises, and other organizations that work directly with family farmers.[2][3] It uses technology to manage the produce grown by smallholder farmers. The company's headquarters are located in Nairobi and is best known as Kenya's largest exporter of avocado.[4][5]
Overview
Selina Wamucii's story began with two women farmers named Selina Nyanchoka and Esther Wamucii Gaita, mothers of the founders John Oroko and Kariuki Gaita.[6] Selina Wamucii markets produce including mango and avocado from thousands of smallholder farmers in Africa.[7][8] Farmers join Selina Wamucii either on the Selina Web-based platform named Growersoft or on mobile phone via USSD.[4] The "Selina Wamucii Farmers" program provides all necessary information about farms during the produce growth period. Then, financial transactions are carried out between the company and farmers through the M-Pesa, mobile banking system.[9][10] Selina Wamucii links thousands of smallholder farmers to buyers including wholesalers, retailers, vendors and restaurants.[11][12]
Selina Wamucii headquarters in Nairobi,Kenya
Work with Farmers
Farmer Groups and Cooperatives
In March 2020,[13] the company announced that it was opening up its market access platform to Africa's farmer groups and cooperatives.[14]
Call for an International Coffee Agreement
Selina Wamucii has been involved in voicing the challenges of Africa's smallholder farmers. In July 2020, the company released a report that highlighted the situation of Africa's coffee farmers, indicating that the farmers are not receiving a fair share of the billions that the coffee industry makes every year.[15][16] The report concluded that Africa's Coffee Farmers lose billions annually due to the poor prices they receive for their coffee.[17][18]
The company's CEO's called for the establishment of a quota-based, International Coffee Agreement that sets export quotas and helps steer the price, and makes it possible for farmers to live from the proceeds of their hard work.[19]
Fight Against Locusts
In January 2021, Selina Wamucii launched an AI-powered early warning tool to help farmers fight off locusts that were devastating crops and livelihoods across Africa.[20][21]
The tool known as Kuzi, derived from the Swahili name for the wattled starling, a bird that eats locusts,[22] relies on satellite data, sensors that monitor soil moisture, and local weather data to deliver predictions on locust breeding locations and migration routes.[23][24]
Awards and recognition
Selina Wamucii has received recognition from various institutions including the London Stock Exchange Companies to Inspire Africa 2019,[25] global social impact programme Expo Live, run by Expo 2020 – organisers of the next World Expo,[26][27] and the TOMMY HILFIGER Social Innovation Challenge.[28]