Catherine Nakalembe, a Ugandan-born geographer and scientist, is transforming the way Africa fights hunger. As the Africa Program Director for NASA Harvest, she harnesses satellite technology to monitor agricultural conditions, predict food shortages, and provide early warnings that save lives. With her eyes on the sky and her heart firmly rooted in the soil of her continent, she has emerged as one of the leading voices using science to drive practical, life-changing solutions for African communities.
Her journey from Kampala to NASA is marked by relentless curiosity and a passion for connecting cutting-edge innovation with real-world impact. After studying at Makerere University and the University of Maryland, Nakalembe turned her focus to one of Africa’s most persistent challenges—food insecurity. But rather than approach it from a place of theory, she used data from space to bring clarity to the chaos of climate variability, crop failure, and hunger.
Under her leadership, NASA Harvest has provided satellite-based insights across multiple African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Rwanda. Her team uses Earth observation data to track rainfall patterns, crop performance, droughts, and floods, equipping governments and humanitarian agencies with the information needed to act fast. In places where climate shocks disrupt livelihoods and farming seasons are unpredictable, Nakalembe’s work is often the first line of defense in averting crisis.
What makes her work especially impactful is the way she brings science into the hands of people. She collaborates closely with national ministries, local experts, and farmers, ensuring that data is not only collected but also understood and applied. Her commitment to building local capacity has led to training programs for African scientists and institutions, demystifying complex technology and making it a tool for empowerment, not exclusion.
In 2020, Catherine Nakalembe became the first woman to receive the prestigious Africa Food Prize, honoring her outstanding contribution to food security through remote sensing. Yet, beyond the accolades and international recognition, her legacy is measured in communities protected, policies shaped, and lives saved.
She continues to be a central figure at global climate and food system forums, advocating for the integration of science and policy. Her voice is clear and urgent—Africa’s food crisis is solvable, but it requires intelligence, coordination, and the political will to act on reliable data.
Catherine Nakalembe is not just interpreting satellite imagery—she is charting a new path for Africa, where technology meets compassion, and innovation becomes a shield for the most vulnerable. In a world increasingly affected by climate change and resource scarcity, her work offers a blueprint for resilience, one map, one image, and one decision at a time.
