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INNOVATIONS in Africa
START-UPS ARE DRIVING DIGITAL AGRICULTURE
MICHEL BERNHARDT
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THE Covid-19 pandemic has been a boost for rapid digitisation globally.
The shift to digital has also reached the agriculture and food sector in Africa.
Foodtech and agritech are now fast growing sectors with start-ups from Africa driving change. The spread and growth of startups providing agritech and foodtech solutions promises dynamic growth and transformation of African agriculture.
Linking technology to the agriculture sector can also make agriculture – an ageing sector – more attractive to youth while making it a sustainable employment opportunity. Technology spans a broad usage spectrum: from e-commerce and supply chain management to precision farming, which monitors and tackles, among others, crop diseases and pests using sensors, drones, satellite images and artificial intelligence (AI).
Fintechs make use of blockchain to do their part in reaching the unbanked population in rural areas.
According to the Consumer Technology Association, almost 400 digital solutions have been registered across sub-Saharan Africa, with an annual growth of 45% since 2012. Nevertheless, around 90% of the market for digital services remains untapped. In addition, many digital solutions are not scaled, giving away a lot of potential impact. Yet the sector still holds numerous business and investment opportunities!
This is where Scaling Digital Agriculture Innovations through Start-ups comes in. The project has been implemented by the German Corporation for International Co-operation on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development. With our Investment Readiness Programme, we grow selected African start-ups in the agri-food sector, helping them to scale their digital solution.
We want to harness the power of technology and entrepreneurs for positive social impact in Africa. All the innovations and start-ups we support have to have an impact on the income of those who use the innovations.
Bernhardt is head of programme at the German Corporation for International Co-operation.
