With a background in law, Katia Kuseke has shifted her focus to nurturing the growth of Africa’s agricultural sector through cutting-edge technology. Her vision enables farmers on the continent to penetrate larger, international markets with greater ease.

Kuseke, a Franco-Congolese entrepreneur born in Kinshasa and now based near Paris, is the co-founder and Managing Director of Fresh Afrika, a promising food technology startup. Since its inception in 2021 with fellow entrepreneur Noëlla Ligan from Cameroon, Fresh Afrika has been building a platform that links smallholder farms in sub-Saharan Africa directly to European consumers. By facilitating the delivery of fruit, vegetable, and spice baskets, the startup ensures greater transparency and simplifies the distribution process, strengthening the vital supply chain between Africa and Europe.

The company’s strategy hinges on short supply chains, eliminating middlemen and employing cutting-edge technology like blockchain to trace products from farm to table. Each basket contains seasonal, pesticide-free produce delivered fresh, catering mostly to chefs and restaurateurs in France who seek quality and transparency. Central to Fresh Afrika’s ethos is fair pricing that values local farmers’ labor and ensures they earn decent livelihoods.

Fresh Afrika also extends its commitment beyond commerce by partnering on community initiatives, particularly in education and infrastructure. It supports the establishment of daycare centers and schools close to production zones, directly enriching the lives of farming families.

Katia Kuseke, trained in law with degrees from University Paris Nanterre and Paris-Sorbonne, has positioned Fresh Afrika within several esteemed startup programs. Notable among them are the French Tech Tremplin, Station F’s Female Founders Fellowship, and the Google-backed Black Founders Fund, which included Fresh Afrika in its 2022 cohort.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum