By Prossy Nandudu
African agritech innovators are to meet in Kigali in the second week of June to showcase technology-driven solutions developed by youth that will transform the agriculture sector.
Currently, the sector is faced with challenges such as adulterated agrochemicals, declining soil fertility, post-harvest losses, lack of markets, high cost of transport, and inadequate value-addition technologies in addition to the changing climate among others.
This was revealed by Adesuwa Ifedi, Senior Vice President of Africa Programs at Heifer International, in a press statement released on Thursday.
She explained that young agritech innovators and agripreneurs from across Africa, stakeholders in the continent’s agriculture and youth development sectors will meet, share ideas, and challenges but also solutions.
Under the theme ‘Reimagining Africa’s Agriculture for the next 50’, the inaugural AYuTe Africa Next Gen, which is an initiative by Heifer International and partners working together to harness the potential of the continent’s youth, innovation, and entrepreneurship skills to address challenges faced by smallholder farmers.
She added that since the event will coincide with celebrations to mark 80 years of Heifer’s support to smallholder farmers, youth with outstanding innovations will be awarded.
“The AYuTe Next Gen gathering provides agripreneurs, policymakers, investors, and innovators the opportunity to witness young African innovators in agriculture pitching their ideas of which top performers will be rewarded with cash prizes and technical support needed to scale up their innovations,” Adesuwa said.
She added, “It is also a platform for young agripreneurs to lead important conversations, share knowledge, and forge partnerships with critical stakeholders to drive progress towards a more secure and sustainable food system in Africa.”
According to Adesuwa, entries by youth from participating countries including Uganda have already been shortlisted after an initial screening and technical assessment. And that these will further be scrutinized at the AYuTe Next Gen gathering, by a panel of competent judges and winners to get the final winner.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Some winners of the previous competition in 2023. Courtesy photo
