Mirirai Tembo

Mirirai Tembo, CEO and founder of Cherry Orchard Farm in Zambia, is passionate about leveling the playing field for women and 2024 BKMC Youth Agrichampion. With a deep love for agriculture and the land, she started her company in September 2020 to create jobs for youth and make fresh produce more accessible. Mirirai aims to sell produce nationwide and in the SADC region, aiming to compete globally. Committed to local agriculture and innovation, Mirirai takes pride in producing high-quality, nutritious food for her community despite the challenges of farming in a changing world. Cherry Orchard Farm focuses on climate adaptation for smallholder farmers through advocating for agroecology and growing sunflowers, a climate-resilient crop. Sunflowers proved to be a vital crop, particularly during severe droughts, as they thrived despite this, supporting soil health, promoting biodiversity, and providing reliable income for farmers. Mirirai leads locally-driven adaptation strategies and trains farmers to embrace climate resilient crops to enhance food security and sustainable farming. She is dedicated to capacity building, equipping farmers with the knowledge and tools to implement these practices, access new markets, and ensure long-term resilience and economic stability amid climate change.