Key Takeaways
– Cherotich Rutto, CEO of Tawi Fresh Kenya, won $25,000 at the Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards for her innovative approach to supporting local farmers.
– Her business model connects over 2,000 farmers with institutional buyers, promoting price transparency and reducing post-harvest losses.
– Rutto emphasizes the importance of treating agriculture as a business and encourages women to harness their potential as agripreneurs.
Tawi Fresh’s Innovative Approach to Farming
Cherotich Rutto began farming a decade ago to supplement her corporate income. Recently, she was honored at the Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards during the Africa Food Systems Forum in Rwanda, where she received $25,000 for her contribution to agricultural technology.
Facing challenges as a novice farmer, Rutto lacked market access, knowledge about crop selection, and credit opportunities. Additionally, brokers often exploited her by dictating low prices. These experiences motivated her to create a structured supply chain that empowers farmers to make informed decisions.
Rutto and her husband opted for a business-to-business model, collaborating with institutional buyers due to their stable demand. This innovative approach connects farmers directly to customers, fostering price transparency and improving the quality of produce. Presently, Tawi Fresh supports over 2,000 farmers, with 65% being women and 29% youth.
Winning the award was a moment of validation for Rutto, who views her success as a collective achievement for her team, partners, and farmers. She highlighted that recognition at a regional level reinforces the impact her work aims to achieve for smallholders in Kenya.
Rutto notes that understanding customer demand helps reduce post-harvest losses, a significant issue in agriculture where 40-50% of fresh produce is wasted. Early on, she and her husband struggled with market timing and crop selection; however, they pivoted to growing fresh herbs for export after recognizing market demand.
Passionate yet business-minded, Rutto quit her corporate job three years ago to focus on farming. She believes solutions to Kenya’s agricultural issues reside with local women and urges better market organization to minimize food wastage.
Under her leadership, the farmers have expanded their operations significantly, growing their land from less than two acres to nearly eight. Tawi Fresh services various institutional clients and communicates market demands effectively back to the farmers.
Rutto’s agribusiness model focuses on timely deliveries, consistent supply, and quality assurance. Farmers receive free access to the platform, generating income through the margin between purchase and selling prices. She envisions Tawi Fresh as “the Amazon of fresh produce” across Africa.
Rutto encourages young and female farmers to view agriculture as a viable business opportunity, asserting that they should consider themselves agripreneurs rather than merely farmers. Her message is clear: success in agriculture is achievable with the right mindset and strategy.
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