Posted on April, 3, 2025 at 09:09 am
Four forward-thinking innovators from Uganda and Zimbabwe are reshaping the continent’s agricultural systems, blending indigenous knowledge with modern, sustainable solutions.
As MOURICE MUHOOZI writes from the recently-concluded Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference in Nairobi, their ventures are not just about profit, but redefining success by integrating biodiversity conservation, youth employment and socio-economic transformation into their core.
As the wave of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) expands globally, a distinctive subset is emerging that challenges the conventional business model; agroecology-driven SMEs. By adopting innovative agroecological practices, they are addressing environmental and economic issues in tandem, proving that sustainability can be a powerful driver of growth.
Supported by the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) and other strategic partners, these forward- thinking businesses are demonstrating that the path to a resilient future lies in harmonizing ecology with enterprise.
During the recent second Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 25, 2025, Bob George Sande, the senior agricultural officer in charge of food security at the Agriculture ministry, encouraged investment in agroecology-based enterprises. In a discussion centered on promoting agroecological entrepreneurship to scale up agroecology in East Africa, he urged all stakeholders, particularly the youth, to think beyond conventional frameworks and embrace enterprises that could drive job creation and reduce biodiversity loss across the continent.
“This is about synthetics. What are the alternatives? Are the options we’re offering sufficient? I believe it’s time to scale up research and innovation,” Sande emphasized.
“We must come together and invest more in research and innovation to find sustainable solutions.” Andrew Adem, the Food Systems Coordinator at Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), echoed these sentiments, stating, “Supporting entrepreneurs is crucial for building a market where the food produced by the farmers we support can reach consumers who recognize it and choose it. This is why AFSA, alongside various partner organizations, is focused on fostering agroecological markets and businesses. Each of us, from different sectors, must come together to advocate for agroecological enterprises and create the conditions for their growth.”
INNOVATORS PIONEERING THE CHANGE
Several forward-thinking innovators were recognized for reshaping the continent’s agricultural systems, blending indigenous knowledge with modern, sustainable solutions.
Source: Observer