2013 Tutu Fellow Monica Musonda has won the 2017 African Agribusiness of the Year Award.  The African Agribusiness Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes entrepreneurs who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in agricultural input and value-added industries, serving food and fiber production in Africa. The award is conferred by Market Matters every year to an agribusiness entrepreneur whose efforts have made a outstanding positive impact on African rural communities.

The award was established in 2008 by Dr Akin Adesina, an agricultural development professional with a passion and commitment to improve rural livelihoods in Africa.  The award seeks to highlight the role played by small and medium-size private enterprises in the continent’s long-term, sustainable development.  2007 Tutu Fellow Edward Mabaya, who works with Market Matters, conferred the award.

Monica's company, Java Foods, was founded in 2012 to provide convenient, affordable and nutritious foods made from local products. Her vision for her company is for it to become a leading food manufacturer in Southern Africa committed to providing high quality and nutritious food from local products at affordable prices. Java Foods introduced its first product to the Zambian market in October 2012 in the form of eeZee Instant Noodles. Today, eeZee Noodles is Zambia’s leading instant noodle brand because it is seen as affordable, convenient and is also widely distributed.  The next step for the company is the construction of its own instant noodle plant in Lusaka. 

You can see more of Monica's story - and that of her company - in a TEDx talk she gave called Don't be a spectator in your own economy.