The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa), a true springboard for the continent’s tech entrepreneurs, has published the “MEST Africa AgriTech Report,” a report that highlights the technologies, startups, and trends that are redefining the agricultural sector in West Africa.
Produced as part of the 2024 edition of the MEST Africa Challenge (MAC), in partnership with the Norwegian Embassy in Accra, this report reveals how local innovators are harnessing mobile technology, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and solar-powered systems to tackle post-harvest losses, market inefficiencies and financing gaps that hold back African farmers.
“Agriculture has always been the mainstay of the West African economy, but today we are witnessing the emergence of a new chapter – one driven by innovation, local ingenuity, and technology,” says Ashwin Ravichandran, Portfolio Advisor and MAC Manager, MEST Africa.
“This report illustrates this transformation and calls for increased collaboration between entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to ensure that AgriTech benefits every farmer.”
Drawing on data and case studies from five key markets—Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Benin—the report highlights more than 40 AgriTech startups generating a measurable impact. These include:
SAYeTECH (Ghana), winner of the MEST Africa Challenge 2024, which designs mechanization equipment adapted to local realities;
ColdHubs (Nigeria), whose solar-powered cold storage facilities have prevented the waste of more than 40,000 tons of agricultural products.
Although ecosystem players such as MEST Africa, Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) and CcHUB continue to support talent and provide seed funding, the report highlights that AgriTech still only attracts around 4% of African venture capital; revealing considerable opportunities for investors wishing to support solutions capable of strengthening food security and inclusive growth.
“Our goal with this report is not only to highlight innovation, but also to catalyze collaboration,” adds Ravichandran. “By investing in data, infrastructure, and people, the African AgriTech ecosystem can develop sustainably, ensuring that technology primarily serves the farmer.”
According to the report distributed by APO Group for The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa), since 2008, MEST Africa has trained and mentored over 2,000 entrepreneurs and invested in more than 90 startups. The MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) is its flagship pan-African competition, designed to identify, support, and grow high-potential technology companies.
GIK/APA