In the News

Two youthful innovators from Kenya and Nigeria on Wednesday bagged prize money worth 1.5 million U.S. dollars for pioneering technologies that are transforming agricultural value chains in the continent. The overall winners of the inaugural agricultural technology contest, sponsored by international development charity, Heifer International, were announced during the ongoing African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) held in Nairobi, capital of Kenya.

Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, founder and CEO of ColdHubs, a Nigerian business that provides solar-powered, walk-in coolers for smallholder vegetable farmers and Jehiel Oliver, founder and CEO of Hello Tractor, a Kenyan company that has become known across Africa as the “Uber of tractors,” were selected today as the winners of the inaugural US$1.5 million Heifer International AYuTe Africa Challenge.

Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, founder and CEO of ColdHubs, a Nigerian business that provides solar-powered, walk-in coolers for smallholder vegetable farmers and Jehiel Oliver, founder and CEO of Hello Tractor, a Kenyan company that has become known across Africa as the “Uber of tractors,” have been selected as the winners of the inaugural $1.5 million Heifer International AYuTe Africa Challenge.

Two tech innovations providing solutions to smallholder farmers on the African continent have won the inaugural US$1.5 million Heifer International AYuTe Africa Challenge. Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, Founder and CEO of ColdHubs, a Nigerian business that provides solar-powered, walk-in coolers for smallholder vegetable farmers, and Jehiel Oliver, Founder and CEO of Hello Tractor, a Kenyan company that has become known across Africa as the “Uber of tractors,” were selected on Wednesday as the winners of the challenge.

Stakeholders have called for investment, collaboration and inclusivity in agriculture, which they say should be a post pandemic priority to tackle hunger and grow value of Africa’s agricultural sector
During the AGRF 2021 Summit which kicked off today in Nairobi, Kenya convening close to 7,000 participants virtually, including African presidents, agriculture Ministers, agricultural stakeholders and experts to discuss ways the continent can transform food systems and accelerate progress to eradicating hunger and poverty, officials are also looking at how youth and women can be included and engaged to transform the continent’s food systems capitalizing.

The coronavirus pandemic has dealt a severe blow to Africa’s people and economies — but across the continent, communities and nations are on the rebound.

I have spent the past few days focused on the collapse of Afghanistan and the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Both events led me to think about one thing: failed international policies.

A study conducted by Heifer International, a global organization working to improve farmers’ income and families’ nutrition projects reveals a wide range of agritech innovations that could propel African farmers to profitability.

In order to build businesses that advance Africa’s food security and agri-food systems agenda, the affordability of tools for smallholding farmers is essential for this specific category of population to embrace advanced technologies, according to the new findings published Thursday.

The government is proposing to impose a moratorium on sale of agricultural land to prevent over fragmentation of cultivable land.