Linda Kamau, 39, is making waves in Embu County by helping low-income farmers in dry regions through her company, SowPrecise Africa. As a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) graduate, she aims to transform agriculture with modern technology.
Linda’s flagship project, SunRider, provides affordable solar-powered irrigation systems to small-scale farmers. This innovation replaces the costly diesel-powered systems traditionally used, cutting costs and reducing carbon emissions. SunRider has already been adopted by five farmers in the region, and Linda aims to increase users to 30 by mid-2025, with plans to expand to Makueni and Kirinyaga.
Based in Gachuriri village, her 20-acre leased farm serves as a demonstration site, showcasing the potential of solar irrigation. Water is sourced from the Nyamindi River under a renewable lease. Linda’s efforts are changing perceptions of farming in arid areas, proving that with the right resources, even dry lands can be productive.
To facilitate the use of solar panels, SowPrecise has also developed an electric cart to transport them around large farms. Partnerships with companies like Kago Organic ensure market access for crops like sunflower seeds.
Linda’s journey began after hearing about YALI, where she trained in business management. She later secured a $30,000 grant to scale her company. Linda’s work is part of a broader movement by YALI and USAid to nurture young African leaders through training, funding, and support. YALI, launched by the US government in 2010, has trained over 20,000 young leaders across Africa, providing opportunities for them to tackle local challenges.
Through initiatives like these, Linda hopes to make farming more sustainable and accessible, one farm at a time.
