Neha Meera Karimi

Kenyan environmental scientist pioneering drought-resistant crop hybrids in arid regions

Dr. Neha Meera Karimi (b. 1989) is a plant geneticist leading Kenya's efforts to combat desertification through bioengineered crops. Based at the East African Agricultural Institute, she developed the Desert-1 Maize hybrid that thrives with 30% less water - a breakthrough for communities facing climate-induced famine.

Her team's 2022 study published in Nature Plants demonstrated 40% higher yields in drought conditions compared to traditional varieties. By 2024, over 10,000 smallholder farmers in northern Kenya were using her seeds, reducing crop failures from 65% to 12%.

Karimi's work extends beyond genetics to community empowerment. She co-founded Seeds of Hope, a women-led cooperative network that trains farmers in sustainable practices. Her TED Talk "Planting for Tomorrow" highlights the intersection of biotechnology and cultural preservation. In 2023, she received the Green Planet Innovator Prize, using the grant to establish Africa's first mobile seed labs. Recent partnerships with WFP are expanding distribution to Somalia and Ethiopia.