Rachel Kyomugisha

Ugandan agricultural scientist empowering African smallholder farmers through tech innovation

Rachel Kyomugisha (born 1979) is a Ugandan agricultural scientist and founder of Africa Agricultural Technology Foundation. During 2014-2019, she pioneered mobile-based crop monitoring systems that revolutionized farming practices for over 500,000 smallholder farmers across East Africa. Her World Economic Forum profile highlights her work developing drought-resistant maize varieties using CRISPR gene-editing technology.

She developed the innovative 'FarmStar' app which provides real-time market prices, weather forecasts, and pest control advisories. This platform reduced post-harvest losses by 40% in participating regions. Her TEDx Talk "Cultivating Africa's Future" (2016) inspired global agricultural innovators. Kyomugisha also established the first seed bank in rural Uganda, preserving indigenous crop varieties while training women farmers in agribusiness management. Her work directly contributed to Uganda's 18% increase in agricultural productivity between 2015-2019.