Joyce Kihangi

A Kenyan social entrepreneur who revolutionized agricultural insurance through technology

Joyce Kihangi is a visionary Kenyan innovator whose work in agricultural insurance has profoundly impacted smallholder farmers across East Africa. As founder of Kilimo Salama, she pioneered the use of mobile technology to provide affordable crop insurance to farmers who previously had no access to financial safety nets. Her system uses IoT sensors and SMS technology to automatically trigger payouts when weather-related crop failures occur, a concept that has since been replicated globally.

Born in 1985 in Nairobi, Kihangi's early exposure to agricultural challenges through her family's farm inspired her work. She earned a degree in computer science from Jomo Kenyatta University before joining APT Group where she began developing insurance solutions for vulnerable populations. Her breakthrough came in 2009 when Kilimo Salama (Swahili for 'Safe Farm') launched in partnership with UAP Insurance and Syngenta.

By 2020, the program had expanded to cover over 500,000 farmers across Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia, protecting crops worth $150 million annually. Kihangi's approach combines cutting-edge technology with deep cultural understanding, using local language SMS reminders and community-based distribution networks. Her work has been featured in Forbes Africa and the World Bank's annual development reports.

In 2015 she co-founded Agri-Tech Hub Kenya, an innovation center incubating 27 startups focused on food security solutions. Her TED Talk "How I made insurance affordable for Kenyan farmers" has over 1.2 million views, showcasing her ability to communicate complex ideas accessibly.

Kihangi's legacy includes not only tangible financial protections but also empowerment through technology education. She trains female farmers as community agents, creating local entrepreneurs who help manage insurance distribution. Her innovations have inspired similar programs in India and Bangladesh, proving that tech solutions can bridge critical gaps in rural economies.