Betty Gwarama

A Tanzanian agritech innovator who developed mobile apps to empower smallholder farmers and reduce food insecurity

Betty Gwarama is a visionary agritech entrepreneur from Tanzania whose innovations have transformed farming practices across East Africa. Born in 1982 in Arusha, she grew up in a family of smallholder farmers and witnessed the challenges they faced accessing market information and agricultural advice. After studying computer science in Germany, she returned home in 2007 to co-found AgriHub Africa, a company creating mobile solutions for farmers.

Gwarama's breakthrough came in 2011 with the launch of FarmersConnect, a mobile app that provides real-time market prices, weather forecasts, and crop management tips. This app now serves over 200,000 users in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, helping farmers increase yields by an average of 30%. In 2015, she developed SeedMatch, an app connecting farmers with certified seed suppliers, reducing seed fraud by 45% in participating regions.

Her most impactful project is the AfricaGrows Platform, launched in 2018. This integrated system uses AI to analyze soil data and recommend crop rotations, while also providing microloans through partnerships with banks. By 2020, the platform had helped 15,000 farmers access $12 million in financing, with 80% of users reporting increased income.

Gwarama's work has been recognized by the United Nations, which featured her in their 2019 report on digital agriculture. She also advises the Tanzanian government on tech policy, helping draft the 2020 Digital Agriculture Act. Her innovations have inspired similar apps across Africa, proving that technology can be a powerful tool for food security and poverty reduction. Gwarama's story exemplifies how local solutions can address global challenges in agriculture.