Posted on September, 3, 2024 at 07:51 am
AgriTech Kenya, an initiative powered by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), has launched a new agri-food systems innovation challenge to support startups, entrepreneurs, and researchers to address existing gaps in Kenya’s agricultural sector.
The AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge 2024 aims to support international early-stage innovators in developing, deploying, and scaling high-impact science-based agri-tech solutions tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers and agricultural value chain players across the country.
“By bridging the gap between research and market adoption, the AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge has been launched with the goal of addressing the most critical challenges in Kenya’s agricultural value chain while driving economic growth, sustainability, and resilience,” the research firm noted in a statement.
The program, tailored on technologies that can be easily adopted by farmers and value chain actors, intends to meet local market demands by attracting top innovators who will develop impactful and affordable solutions to the sector.
Kenya, despite its fertile land, faces persistent challenges in achieving food security, with annual food imports exceeding $1.1 billion.
The impacts of climate change and urbanization have also intensified the need for innovative solutions through localized, science-based agri-tech innovations driven by market demand.
The initiative will focus on key priority areas including sustainable agricultural production, such as sustainable irrigation practices, livestock health, disease management, equitable finance, investment mechanisms, improved market access, and supply chain efficiency.
“These areas are crucial for addressing the unique challenges faced by Kenya’s agriculture sector and ensuring the development of solutions that are both impactful and sustainable, and driven by market demands,” it added.
According to the research firm, the program aligns with Kenya’s Big 4 Agenda, the Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, and Vision 2030, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring that it contributes to the country’s broader development objectives.
Source: Capital FM