by Ronald Njoroge
Heifer International Kenya has unveiled the winners of its 2024 AYuTe Africa Challenge, awarding $48,800 in total funding to promising
young agritech entrepreneurs. Held under the theme “Identity, Elevate, Grow Together; Propelling Agriculture Transformation Through Youth-Led Tech Innovations,” the awards
ceremony showcased Kenya’s most innovative agricultural technology solutions, reflecting a commitment to empowering youth and driving agricultural transformation.
The AYuTe Challenge is pivotal for Kenya’s agricultural sector, which faces critical challenges alongside significant opportunities. With youth unemployment at alarming levels and
smallholder farmers struggling to access modern solutions, youth-led agritech innovations offer a dual impact. These initiatives create meaningful employment opportunities for young Kenyans, address rural-to-urban migration trends, and equip farmers with scalable, techdriven tools to increase productivity and income. The AYuTe Africa Challenge catalyzes
transforming agriculture from a traditional practice to an attractive, tech-driven career path
for Kenya’s youth.
The 2024 competition featured two categories namely product development and ideation
categories. In the product development category, Desiccated Sweetness Ltd secured first place, earning a cash prize of $15,000. They were followed by Pollen Patrollers, the 1st
Runner-Up, who received $7,500; Pureplant Organics Ltd was the 2nd Runner-Up and was awarded $5,500. Finalists Farmsky Ventures and Boka Eats Limited each received
$1,200.
In the ideation category, Azolla and Duckweed Poultry Meal claimed the top spot winning a $7,500 cash prize. SowPrecise Africa scooped the 1st Runner-Up, receiving $5,500, and nanaHeal Enterprise took the 2nd Runner-Up position with $3,800. Finalists Droughtsmart Solutions and Nutrifish/Samaki Stop were each awarded $800.
Since its inception in 2022, the AYuTe Africa Challenge Kenya has attracted over 700 applications and has supported more than 330 entrepreneurs through a tailored incubation program that offers training and mentorship. To date, $88,000 in cash grants has been awarded to fuel the growth of youth-led enterprises in Kenya.
Clarice Bugo-Kionge, Heifer Kenya’s Interim Country Director emphasized Heifer’s belief in.placing the youth population at the forefront of the agriculture transformation journey. “The. agricultural sector must invest in youth-led agritech innovations because our thriving youth population is essential for revitalising Africa’s food systems. The AYuTe Africa Challenge
embodies this belief by identifying and empowering young innovators committed to addressing the challenges of agriculture and food security” she said.
Speaking during the award ceremony, she reminded stakeholders that it is a collective duty to
support young innovators by removing obstacles in their path to scale their businesses. She further announced that Heifer Kenya will implement a post-award incubation program
targeting all the finalists “We remain committed to supporting all finalists through a robust post-award incubation program that includes customized training, coaching, mentorship,
networking and peer learning opportunities,” she said.
This year’s competition attracted 308 applications from across Kenya, including 66 from the Arid and Semi-Arid regions, 65 from the Central Region Economic Bloc, 120 from the Lake Region and North Rift Economic Blocs, and 57 from Nairobi. 10 finalists qualified for the grand finale pitching following a rigorous selection process that was conducted in partnership
with ecosystem players. The partners supported the judging process that identified gamechanging innovations. In addition, contestants were taken through market-driven training,
coaching and mentorship.
Faith Okong’o, CEO of Desiccated Sweetness Ltd and overall winner in the product-stage category, hailed the victory as a win for the smallholder farmers “This experience has been
inspiring; not just the cash grant but the mentorship and training we have received. This victory will enable us to scale our operations and continue addressing post-harvest losses
while inspiring more farmers” she said.
Florence Kariuki, General Manager, Food and Agriculture, Equity Group Foundation emphasized the importance of investment and provision of capital, “Yes we can have digital innovations but if we do not have the capital to scale them then they will just be ideas, and
so the financial institutions and the private sector play a big role in investment support” she
said. In addition, she noted that the private sector has a role to play in giving the youth platforms to integrate and test their innovations. The AYuTe Africa Challenge Kenya is the
local chapter of the continent-wide AYuTe Africa Challenge, an initiative by Heifer International, and one of the most ambitious agriculture competitions on the continent,
combining the power of African youth with the many possibilities of emerging technologies to support smallholder farmers across Africa to grow their businesses and incomes.