Four young agricultural innovators from Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana have emerged as winners of the 2025 AYuTe NextGen competition, a flagship youth-focused agritech contest organized by Heifer International.
The event, which took place over the weekend in Kampala, Uganda, brought together finalists from across Africa for three days of live pitching, high-level dialogue, and networking under the theme “AgTech Generation Rising.”
More than 100 entries from 10 African countries were received, with 11 finalists selected to pitch solutions to a panel of industry experts in agriculture, finance, climate innovation, and technology.
Winners were chosen in two key categories: Climate-Smart Agriculture and Access to Finance and Markets.
In the Climate-Smart Agriculture category, Carolyn Mwangi, founder and CEO of Kimplanter Seedlings and Nurseries (Kenya), won the top prize for her climate-resilient seedlings designed for smallholder farmers.
Fellow Kenyan Maryanne Gichanga, CEO of Agritechs Analytics, was named first runner-up for her solar-powered farm sensors that deliver real-time data and pest alerts to farmers via mobile.
In the Access to Finance and Markets category, Nana Opoku, CEO of Grow For Me (Ghana), took the top award for his digital platform that connects investors with farmers and shares profits post-harvest. Nigeria’s Richies Attai, co-founder and CEO of Winich Farms, was the first runner-up for his digital supply chain solution that links farmers with factories while offering bundled credit and insurance services.
Speaking after her win, Mwangi said: “This award is a turning point. It affirms that the future of African agriculture lies in innovation and the energy of young entrepreneurs.”
Opoku echoed the sentiment, noting: “This is a win for smallholder farmers in Ghana. It brings finance, protection, and new opportunities to their doorsteps.”
Heifer International’s Senior Vice President for Africa Programs, Adesuwa Ifedi, emphasized the growing influence of youth in Africa’s agricultural transformation.
“There are over 2,000 agritech startups in Africa today, many led by young people. Through AYuTe, we are committed to helping them scale their impact.”
The summit also featured deep-dive sessions such as “Growing a Unicorn in Agriculture,” “Africa for Africa: Same Soil, Many Paths,” and “Who Is Shaping Africa’s Food Story?” These conversations addressed key challenges such as funding gaps, policy reforms, digital infrastructure, and the inclusion of youth in agricultural systems design.
Participants from nine African countries — Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Senegal — reinforced the pan-African nature of the event and the shared urgency for agricultural innovation.
The 2025 edition of AYuTe NextGen closed with a strong call to action: investors were urged to deploy catalytic funding, governments to enact supportive policies, and the private sector to invest in infrastructure and digital tools to empower agripreneurs.
Heifer International reaffirmed its ongoing support for scaling youth-led agricultural solutions across Africa.
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