On June 25, 2026, Ugandan engineer and entrepreneur Shifra Ainomugisha was named the 2026 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year during the Commonwealth Youth Awards ceremony in London. She also won the Africa regional award, earning a combined prize of £5,000, the highest award presented under the programme.
Her victory came after she emerged from a field of more than 970 entries submitted from across the Commonwealth’s 56 member states. The annual awards recognize outstanding young leaders between the ages of 15 and 29 whose innovations are advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through measurable community impact.
For Ainomugisha, the recognition marked the latest milestone in a journey that began in Uganda’s tomato fields and has since grown into one of the country’s most promising climate technology ventures.
Roots in the Tomato Fields: A Story Born from Lived Experience
Ainomugisha was raised in a tomato farming family in western Uganda, where she experienced firsthand the challenges facing smallholder farmers. She watched harvests spoil because of inadequate storage facilities, unreliable markets and weak supply chains, leaving families with heavy financial losses despite months of hard work.
Growing up in a society where women’s contributions to agriculture often received little recognition also shaped her outlook. Rather than accept those realities, she turned them into an opportunity to develop practical solutions for rural communities.
An engineer with expertise in renewable energy and rural development, Ainomugisha combined her technical background with her personal experience to address the challenges she had witnessed growing up. She has also been associated with Makerere University and the beVisioneers fellowship, where she has focused on sustainable food systems and food security.
Building Solafam: Solar Power and Artificial Intelligence for Farmers
Driven by those experiences, Ainomugisha founded Solafam Uganda Ltd, a woman led climate and agricultural technology enterprise that develops affordable clean energy solutions for smallholder farmers across Uganda and the wider East African region.
Since its establishment, the company has implemented more than 50 projects benefiting schools, women’s groups and farming communities.
Its flagship innovation is a network of solar powered cold storage facilities that enables farmers to preserve fresh produce through an affordable pay per use model. The system significantly reduces post harvest losses while allowing excess solar power to be supplied to nearby businesses.
Solafam has also introduced off grid solar irrigation systems that provide reliable water for crop production, household use and sanitation, reducing dependence on rainfall and expensive fuel powered pumps.
The company’s digital innovation, operates through WhatsApp, offering farmers localized advice on climate smart agriculture, pest control, soil management, post harvest handling, weather trends and market access.
In 2025, Solafam expanded the platform by introducing AI generated comic style training materials designed specifically for farmers with limited literacy. The visual approach enables users to access practical farming information without relying on written text, making digital agricultural extension services more accessible.
Together, these technologies address some of agriculture’s biggest challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, including unreliable electricity, high post harvest losses, climate variability and limited access to agricultural information.
Solafam’s pay as you go and pay per use model has also made renewable energy solutions affordable for resource constrained farmers while supporting the transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture.
Measurable Impact on Farmers and Communities
Since 2022, Solafam has directly supported more than 1,500 smallholder farmers, about 70 percent of them women.
According to figures released by the company and the Commonwealth, its interventions have reduced post harvest losses by around 30 percent, with some projects reporting food waste reductions from about 40 percent to as low as 5 percent.
Participating households have recorded income increases averaging 28 percent, while improved irrigation, storage and climate smart farming practices have boosted crop yields by as much as 50 percent.
The initiative has also strengthened climate resilience and expanded economic opportunities for women and young people in rural communities, contributing to improved food security and sustainable agricultural production.
Previous Recognition and Growing Momentum
Before receiving the Commonwealth’s highest youth honor, Ainomugisha and Solafam had already attracted regional and international recognition.
In 2023, the startup received support through LEAP Africa, while its work has also been featured by organizations promoting innovation and sustainable development across Africa.
Her leadership has increasingly positioned Solafam among Uganda’s emerging climate technology enterprises, drawing attention from development partners and investors interested in scalable agricultural solutions.
Voices of Impact
Speaking after receiving the award, Ainomugisha said the recognition belonged not only to her but also to the farming communities her company serves.
“I am honoured to be named the 2026 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year. This recognition is not only personal but also represents the farmers and communities in Uganda whom we serve. It also affirms that solutions built from lived experience can create real impact,” she said.
Reflecting on the development of Solafam’s AI powered visual training platform, she said the innovation was designed to ensure farmers with limited literacy are not excluded from modern agricultural knowledge.
“For too long, illiterate farmers have been left behind in the digital age. This AI powered solution ensures that every farmer, regardless of their education level, can now access critical farming knowledge in a format they understand,” she said.
Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Botchwey praised this year’s finalists for demonstrating innovation, courage and leadership in addressing challenges facing their communities.
A Model for Youth Led Change
Ainomugisha’s journey from witnessing tomatoes spoil on family farms to developing solar powered and AI driven agricultural technologies reflects a growing wave of African entrepreneurs using innovation to solve local challenges.
Her work demonstrates how renewable energy, digital technology and community driven solutions can improve food security, strengthen rural livelihoods and build resilience against climate change.
As Solafam expands its operations across East Africa, the Commonwealth recognition is expected to increase the company’s international profile while highlighting Uganda’s growing contribution to climate innovation.
For thousands of smallholder farmers facing food loss, unreliable energy and changing weather patterns, Ainomugisha’s story offers more than inspiration. It illustrates how practical solutions rooted in local experience can create lasting economic and social impact.
