When Wanjiru Mambo talks about potatoes, she is talking about dignity, markets and livelihoods.
Through her company, WedgeHut Foods Limited, the entrepreneur is helping thousands of smallholder farmers escape the grip of middlemen by connecting them directly to markets requiring specific potato varieties.
Instead of growing blindly and accepting whatever price brokers offer, farmers now produce with purpose, knowing what buyers need. The result is higher incomes for growers, consistent quality for commercial buyers and less food wastage.
The idea was born out of adversity. When Covid-19 forced the closure of her restaurant in 2020, Ms Mambo sold potatoes from the boot of her car.
"Beyond convenience, she is pioneering a model that prioritises traceability, sustainability and full use of the produce."
She noticed that farmers earned little. That inspired her to bridge the disconnect through value addition.
Today, her company supplies ready-to-cook potato products to hotels, schools and restaurants, saving them labour while ensuring consistent quality.
Beyond convenience, she is pioneering a model that prioritises traceability, sustainability and full use of the produce. Larger tubers become French fries, while smaller ones that often go unsold are being explored for higher-value products such as potato starch.
Through partnerships with organisations including Equity Foundation, Agenta and the National Potato Council, the marketer, certified accountant and serial entrepreneur has trained more than 50 farmer groups and built a network of more than 3,000 farmers, with plans to expand to 5,000.
Cash flow, building the right systems and finding people who share in her vision are some of the challenges. Yet every farmer who tells her they are producing and earning more reminds her why the work matters and building a food-secure Africa is within sight.
–Lynet Igadwah