Irene Muloni

African tech entrepreneur who revolutionized agricultural markets through mobile innovation

About Irene Muloni

Irene Muloni is a Ugandan-born Kenyan tech entrepreneur and social innovator known for co-founding M-Farm, a mobile-based platform that empowers smallholder farmers in Kenya through real-time market information. Born in 1987 in Uganda, Muloni's early exposure to agricultural challenges during her childhood in rural areas shaped her mission to address systemic inequities in Africa's agricultural sector.

In 2012, she co-founded M-Farm with fellow developers Charles Irungu and Mike Muthoni. The platform uses SMS technology to provide farmers with accurate commodity prices, weather updates, and agricultural best practices. This innovation directly addressed information asymmetry that previously allowed middlemen to exploit farmers, enabling them to negotiate better prices and increase incomes by up to 30% (Source: M-Farm official site).

Muloni's work has been recognized globally through awards like the 2013 Tech4Africa Prize and inclusion in Forbes Africa's 30 Under 30 list. She later co-founded Dorcas Africa Initiative, a nonprofit supporting women entrepreneurs in tech and agriculture. Her TEDx talk 'How Technology Can Empower Farmers' has over 150k views on YouTube, illustrating her growing influence.

Impact & Legacy

With over 500,000 registered users across East Africa, M-Farm demonstrates Muloni's vision of tech-driven social change. Her approach combines mobile technology's accessibility with agricultural economics, creating a scalable model replicated in other regions. Muloni's emphasis on gender equity led to 70% female participation among platform users, challenging traditional gender roles in farming communities.