Career
Prior to her starting her own business, Mjonga worked as a principal scientist on the improvement of dryland cereals, at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, based in Patancheru, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
She also represented Tanzania in crop networks in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and in the East African Community (EAC). From 2014 to 2016, Mgonja also served as the country director of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an organisation that is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation and aims to improve agricultural output and products by supporting local farmers and farm workers. In her capacity as country director, Mgonja advocated for increased adoption of technology in agriculture to boost output, produce surplus products for the market and increase food security.
In 2017, Mgonja joined the ten-person governing board of the Africa Seeds Organization, an inter-government agency within the African Union, which is responsible for implementing the African Seed and Biotechnology Programme.
Starting in 2016, Mgonja has developed hybrids of sorghum and maize plants, focusing on drought tolerance and improved productivity for sale to farmers. Her hybrids are now in use by over 46,000 farmers and are credited with improving food security, economic stability, and Climate resilience. Her seeds are licensed through public-private partnerships and sold through local seed companies, cutting out shipping and import costs.