Uganda’s Shifra Ainomugisha has been named the 2026 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year at a ceremony held in London.
The event, attended by dignitaries and youth leaders on June 25, celebrated young innovators contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Ainomugisha received the top award for her climate-focused agri-tech company, Solafam, which uses artificial intelligence to help tackle rural hunger.
Her enterprise provides solar-powered cold storage and automated irrigation systems to smallholder farmers across Uganda, helping reduce crop losses and improve food security.
The idea was inspired by her childhood experience of seeing her family’s tomato harvests spoil before reaching the market.
Since its launch in 2022, Solafam has reduced post-harvest losses by around 30 percent.
It has supported more than 1,500 farmers and increased household incomes by 28 percent, with women making up about 70 percent of beneficiaries.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey presented the award, praising the finalists for their innovation and resilience.
She said the young leaders honoured at the event are turning challenges into practical solutions that strengthen communities across the Commonwealth.