By Atoyebi Nike
The Second African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT2025) has wrapped up in Kigali, reigniting continental optimism that Africa’s smallholder farmers can anchor a food-secure future if empowered with the right technologies, partnerships, and policy support.
Hosted by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in collaboration with the Rwandan Government, the four-day summit (June 9–12) gathered over 800 delegates from across Africa and the globe, including policy leaders, research institutions, startups, financial institutions, and youth entrepreneurs. The theme was: “NextGen Ag-Tech Solutions for Africa’s Farmer.”
The conference spotlighted emerging agricultural technologies tailored for smallholder farmers from AI-powered agronomic advisors and IoT-enabled irrigation systems to gene-edited crops and blockchain-based traceability tools. Demonstrations of tools like iSDA Africa’s Virtual Agronomist, real-time satellite crop monitoring, and drone-based field scouting by Zipline, made a strong case for scaling innovations already being piloted in Uganda, Tanzania, and beyond.
A Changing Role for Extension Officers
As automation takes root, many participants noted that tools such as AI chatbots and IoT devices are beginning to supplement the roles of agricultural extension officers, prompting calls for an updated support model to avoid marginalizing vital human expertise.
Farmers at the Center speaking during a farmers’ dialogue, attendees insisted they must not only be beneficiaries but co-creators of the innovations that impact their livelihoods. Rwanda’s Agriculture Minister, Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, echoed this view, saying: “We must move from designing for farmers to designing with farmers.”
AATF Executive Director, Dr. Canisius Kanangire, reinforced that farmer-centered technology, when introduced into a supportive environment, can boost productivity, enhance livelihoods, and drive broader economic growth.
Challenges and Solutions
In sessions dedicated to digital infrastructure, experts flagged persistent challenges such as limited rural connectivity, digital illiteracy, affordability, and weak maintenance systems as barriers to wider adoption. Recommendations included co-designing tools with users, simplifying platforms, and building trust through training and cultural alignment.
Financing AgTech
The financing panel called for deeper public-private alignment to scale innovation. Equity Bank Rwanda’s MD, Hannington Namara, pledged to allocate at least 30% of the bank’s lending portfolio to agriculture, and called on financial institutions across the continent to follow suit.
Speakers also emphasized the need to de-risk investments in AgTech, boost lending for crop innovation, and harmonize regulatory frameworks to encourage local and foreign investment.
Youth and Innovation
A major feature of the conference was the Youth Mentorship and Deal-Matching Session, where young innovators pitched agritech solutions. Organizers emphasized that for youth to access funding, they must develop soft skills like persuasive communication, alongside technical innovation.
Strategic Announcements
A highlight was the partnership launch between AATF and AgriEdge, aimed at accelerating the uptake of digital agriculture technologies across Sub-Saharan Africa. The collaboration will support innovation exchange and capacity building among farmers, researchers, and policymakers.
In a high-level ministerial session, representatives from Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania committed to increasing investment in ag-tech, integrating gender, and aligning national budgets with agriculture and food systems.
Former Nigerian President and AATF Ambassador, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, urged governments to provide a stable, transparent investment climate, support biosafety regulation, and invest in rural infrastructure. “Africa has what it takes: talent, land, ingenuity and political will,” he stated.
