Marilyn Aliech

Kenyan tech entrepreneur who revolutionized farming through mobile technology

Marilyn Aliech is a Kenyan social entrepreneur and founder of M-Farm, a mobile-based platform that connects farmers directly with buyers and provides real-time market prices. Launched in 2011, M-Farm disrupted traditional agricultural supply chains by leveraging SMS technology, enabling over 250,000 smallholder farmers to access fair prices and market information. Aliech's innovation significantly reduced post-harvest losses and increased income for rural communities. Her work has been recognized by the African Union and the World Bank, and she serves as a UN Women Champion for Entrepreneurship. In 2017, she co-founded Inkululeko, an NGO providing mentorship to female entrepreneurs across East Africa. Aliech's TED Talk "How to turn a cellphone into a tool for social change" highlights her vision of tech-driven rural development.