by Smallholder farmers in Zambia’s Lusaka receive detailed information on crop diseases, weather patterns and changes, and other relevant information through the AgriPredict application and a USSD code-based service on their mobile phones. Essential information that is specific to local conditions which would otherwise be costly to attain is now accessible with the use of mobile devices. Agritech firms led by young innovative farmers are bridging the information gap for smallholder farmers across the country by providing them with a risk-management tool that enables them to increase the efficiency of agricultural production (Brown).
Africa’s agriculture sector is experiencing a transformation through the rise of agritech (agriculture technology) businesses that tap into the underutilized potential of the industry. Agritech essentially involves the use of digital technologies to tackle market barriers and improve agricultural productivity and sustainability (Hruby and Mengoub 06). It provides a valuable opportunity for those in the sector to take advantage of the ongoing digital revolution and make efforts to construct resilient food systems, diversify supply chains, and enlarge access to agricultural markets, thereby progressing towards achieving food security (Hruby and Mengoub 06). Agritech companies in Africa not only offer access to financial services, agricultural inputs, information, and shared assets but also facilitate enhanced market access, shortened value chains, and promote a shared economy for mechanized equipment.
The youth are at the forefront of transforming agriculture in Africa. With a greater inclination to innovation and the adoption of modern technology, Africa’s young farmers and entrepreneurs are incorporating technology to provide solutions to contemporary agricultural challenges. International development organizations also launch competitive initiatives that encourage youth-led agritech businesses to showcase their innovations and scale them up through access to financial support and mentorship. Notable examples include the YOUTHADAPT Challenge jointly organized by a coalition of organizations including the African Development Bank, and the AYuTe Africa Challenge organized by Heifer International. Such efforts motivate young farmers and agripreneurs to develop innovative solutions to agricultural challenges.
Youth-led Agritech businesses revolutionise Africa’s food systems and agriculture
AgriPredict is a growing agritech company in Zambia that utilizes advanced technology to provide services tailored to address the needs of farmers, especially in accessing vital agricultural information on demand (AgriPredict). The founders of AgriPredict identified the lack of timely agricultural information in particularly rural areas which has adverse impacts on yields, incomes, and livelihood. They developed the AgriPredict platform to drive agricultural producers into a future of farming that ensures food security and the safety of crops. The youth founders optimize the advanced technology available in the agricultural sector and primarily target Zambia’s poverty-stricken rural communities to improve their livelihoods (AgriPredict). Access to weather information is the most crucial information for farmers as weather patterns become less predictable due to climate change (Hruby and Mengroub 04).
Another youth-led agritech firm, KivuGreen in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is also providing similar services to its smallholder farmers. Despite being one of the countries with abundant water and farmland in Africa, the DRC’s food production is adversely affected by conflict and the lack of resources. KivuGreen’s web and mobile platform provides solutions for efficient water management by linking smallholder farmers to agricultural information and advice (KivuGreen). The agritech business recognizes the challenges farmers face due to the lack of appropriate preservation methods and the need to sell their produce from remote areas while it is still fresh. KivuGreen’s e-commerce platform connects the farmers directly to the customers and takes responsibility for the logistics, saving the farmers the time involved in searching for customers and traveling to sell their produce.
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AgriPredict and KivuGreen heavily rely on data to provide accurate and essential information to farmers. Data is key to offering agricultural services rooted in science and technology for farmers. This is achieved effectively through collaborating with international organizations and research institutions. Similarly, AgriPredict partners with organizations like the FAO and WFP to enable data sharing and improve their services to farmers. Agritech companies also have the prospect of monetizing this data and selling it to government institutions in the long run.
Both AgriPredict and KivuGreen have also ventured into the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AgriPredict has already enabled an AI feature that allows farmers to capture a picture of their affected crop and instantly receive a diagnosis of the plant (Brown). KivuGreen won a grant through its participation in the YOUTHADAPT challenge, which would allow it to scale its AI services and provide smart solutions for farmers to tackle the effects of climate change.
Enhanced infrastructure and institutional policy can contribute to strengthening the Agritech industry
Youth-led agritech companies have improved the lives of many small-scale farmers. However, the dearth of sufficient infrastructure and a conducive institutional environment deters them from achieving this on a large scale. The lack of adequate internet infrastructure in many parts of Zambia, DCR, and across Africa, limits the benefits that farmers can attain from agritech companies. Despite many agritech firms offering their services on the older generation of mobile phones, internet infrastructure and connectivity will enable them to expand the services provided. Therefore, investment in infrastructure for modern technology should be prioritized to support the adoption of agritech solutions for farmers.
At the institutional and policy level, African governments and development partners should devise policies that are youth-friendly and encourage greater participation of the youth in the agricultural and food sectors. Aside from conducive policies and infrastructure, government institutions can extend their support to agricultural projects through competitive grants and creating initiatives concentrated on skill development and sharing of information on the agritech industry. Moreover, amplifying the success of youth-led agribusinesses will also prove beneficial in portraying the agricultural and food industry as lucrative, thereby attracting the youth. Although provisions exist at the regional and continental level, targeted policies that address financial obstacles and facilitate improved access to information and markets for farmers should be formulated at the national level.
CONCLUSION
Africa has the resources to sustain itself in the agriculture sector and realize its full potential. The growth of youth-led agritech companies is instrumental in realizing its complete agricultural potential. The need for digital solutions brought by youth-led agritech businesses is greater now than ever due to the added threats of climate change for Africa’s smallholder farmers. Hence, a combined effort by government institutions, international organizations, research institutes, and the private sector is required to provide adequate infrastructure and policies that nurture the growth of agritech businesses in Africa, thereby strengthening its food security.
REFERENCES
“About AgriPredict.” Https://Www.Agripredict.Com/About, AgriPredict, 2023, agripredict.com/about/.
“About KivuGreen.” KivuGreen, KivuGreen, kivugreen.cd/?lang=en. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.
BongoHive Zambia. “Slush Gia 2018 Showcase – Agripredict (Zambia).” YouTube, YouTube, 17 Dec. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a2Dg0OC3Jw&ab_channel=BongoHiveZambia.
Brown, Zara. “AgriPredict: The App Assisting Small-Scale Farmers in Zambia.” The Borgen Project, The Borgen Project, 19 Nov. 2023, borgenproject.org/tag/agriculture-sector/.
Chakrabarti, Thomas. “Youth-Led Enterprise Uses AI to Build Climate Resilience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Democratic Republic of the Congo.” ReliefWeb, UN OCHA – United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 1 June 2023, reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/youth-led-enterprise-uses-ai-build-climate-resilience-democratic-republic-congo.
Hruby, Aubrey, and Fatima Ezzahra Mengoub. Atlantic Council Africa Center, 2023, Unlocking Africa’s Agricultural Potential: Scaling Agtech to Improve Productivity, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Unlocking-Africas-Agricultural-Potential.pdf. Accessed 1 Feb. 2024.
