Farming in Zambia brings daily challenges. Unpredictable rains and poor soils make it hard for smallholders to grow enough food.
Marina Kamanzi sees this reality every day. As the Founder and Managing Director of Kagezi Seed Company Limited, she knows that local farmers need better tools to survive a changing climate.
Those efforts took center stage at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda. Over 5,000 delegates gathered to discuss the future of the continent's agriculture. During the summit, Kamanzi claimed the grand prize at the Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards. She accepted a $40,000 grant to expand her work and support more farming communities.
"This recognition reinforces our conviction that women-led, climate-resilient agribusiness is key to Africa's agricultural transformation. By equipping smallholder farmers with certified orphan crop seeds and guaranteed markets, we turn climate vulnerability into lasting rural prosperity." — Marina Kamanzi, Founder & Managing Director, Kagezi Seed
A Milestone for Zambian Agribusiness & Orphan Crops
This victory marks a major milestone for Zambian agriculture. Kagezi Seed focuses on organically multiplied seed systems for traditionally overlooked orphan crops. These climate-resilient seeds survive harsh weather conditions when traditional staples fail.
The company integrates more than 5,000 smallholder farmers through an inclusive outgrower network. Women and young people make up a massive share of this group. Kagezi Seed provides them with high-yielding seed varieties and hands-on training. This model guarantees a reliable market for harvests and helps rural families earn steady incomes.
Bridging the Financing Gap for Women Agripreneurs
Women provide the vast majority of labor in African food systems. Despite this hard work, they receive a tiny fraction of commercial agricultural credit. Platforms like the Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards aim to bridge that gap by de-risking and funding women-led enterprises.
Kamanzi plans to use the $40,000 prize grant to scale operations and reach even more growers across Zambia's provinces. Bringing more drought-tolerant crops to local markets protects the food supply, empowers rural households, and builds lasting climate resilience from seed to table.