Jovia Kisaakye (Uganda) : Turning waste into value for farmers and communities

Jovia Kisaakye is the Founder and CEO of Ecobed Biotech, a Ugandan biotechnology enterprise transforming agricultural and food waste into practical, market-driven solutions. Her work focuses on addressing everyday challenges faced by farmers while creating new value from under-utilised resources.

At Ecobed Biotech, spoilt milk is converted into a powerful and effective organic mosquito repellent skincare lotion and creams that offer 12-hour long protection against mosquito bites. In parallel, the company transforms everyday food waste into organic fertilizers and animal feed using black soldier fly larva, offering alternative uses for products that would otherwise be discarded. Building on this circular approach, Ecobed has recently launched a mobile application designed to reduce food waste and improve market access for smallholder farmers. The digital platform – Nutrigrab, enables vendors such as supermarkets, schools to sell soon-to-expire and surplus food at zero or discounted prices thereby minimizing the would-be food wastage. The platform also supports farmers in selling fresh produce more efficiently, helping to minimize post-harvest losses.

Jovia’s entrepreneurial journey reflects resilience and persistence. In the early stages, accessing funding proved challenging, with multiple unsuccessful applications. A first breakthrough came through a small grant of USD 3,000, which validated her idea, helped her register her business, did product certification and branding and reinforced the importance of continuing to seek partnerships every day to bring her products to market.

A key pillar of Ecobed’s development has been continuous learning and adaptation. Jovia emphasizes the importance of market research, early testing, and customer feedback in shaping solutions. From refining product design to adjusting branding and targeting specific user groups, her approach highlights the value of iteration in building a sustainable business.

She also underscores the importance of visibility and networks. By attending events, engaging with peers, and consistently communicating about her work, she has been able to access new opportunities, partnerships, and funding. Through Ecobed Biotech, Jovia Kisaakye illustrates how locally grounded entrepreneurship can address multiple challenges at once, from food waste and farmer livelihoods to access to markets, while creating tangible value for communities.

Jovia Kisaakye shared her experience during Innovation Session N°26, organised by by PAFO and COLEAD, where discussions explored practical strategies for entrepreneurs to access funding, validate their solutions, and grow their businesses.

Join the Access to finance conversation on the Agrinnovators Forum.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.