• Kenyan startup VunaPay helps cooperatives and smallholder farmers secure income through digital harvest tracking, data management and faster payments.

• The company, founded in 2023, aims to improve transparency, operational efficiency and cash flow across agricultural value chains.

• Founder and CEO Gatwĩri Njogu-Mokaya previously held senior business development and strategy roles at Oracle across Africa.

Kenyan entrepreneur Gatwĩri Njogu-Mokaya, co-founder and chief executive officer of VunaPay, leads a startup that supports agricultural cooperatives and smallholder farmers.

Founded in 2023, VunaPay helps producers secure their income through more efficient and transparent management practices. The company works closely with cooperatives to optimize harvest collection, centralize operational data and streamline income payments.

VunaPay structures its solution around three core services. The first service focuses on agricultural produce collection. The company provides tools that automate and simplify harvest registration when farmers deliver produce to cooperatives. This approach reduces manual processes and saves time for agricultural organizations.

The second service focuses on information management. VunaPay enables cooperatives to maintain accurate and up-to-date records on farmers, delivered volumes and available inventories. This centralized data management improves operational monitoring and strengthens transparency within cooperative structures.

The third pillar of the business focuses on payments. VunaPay launched its platform to address one of agriculture’s most persistent challenges: payment delays. The company offers a system that enables farmers to receive payments more quickly after delivering their produce. As a result, farmers improve their cash flow and gain faster access to their earnings.

Before launching her entrepreneurial venture, Gatwĩri Njogu-Mokaya built an international academic and professional career. She earned a master's degree in Medical Technology and Clinical Forensic Medicine from Michigan State University. She also began her professional career there in 2001 as a customer service representative for the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research.

Subsequently, she joined Oracle, the U.S. technology company specializing in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure, where she worked from 2017 to 2022. During her tenure, she served as Business Development Manager for the Public Sector in Africa, Director of Industry Strategy and Transformation, and Director of Business Development and Customer Experience for Africa.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum