In a significant achievement for Nigerian agritech, Extension Africa has secured a top spot at the AYuTe Africa NextGen 2024 competition, paving the way for its continental expansion.
The Nigerian team secured third place at the AYuTe Africa NextGen 2024 competition hosted by Heifer International in Rwanda.
The event, held in Kigali and attended by cabinet members and global stakeholders, aimed to inspire young entrepreneurs and drive agricultural transformation across Africa.
According to a statement issued by the CEO/managing director of Extension Africa, Tajudeen Yahaya the platform won first place in the national segment and secured third place in the inaugural AYuTe NextGen event.
Yahaya stated, "This achievement demonstrated its potential to revolutionise agricultural collaboration across Africa."
The competition featured 15 national winners from countries such as Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia, and Uganda, providing invaluable exposure and funding.
This enabled the Nigerian team to enhance their global platform that connects agents with last-mile farmers.
The event underscored the programme's role in fostering technology-driven agricultural solutions, emphasising scalability and sustainability in the African agritech sector.
Yahaya noted that the format had changed this time. Instead of featuring early-stage or growing ventures, the competition brought together national winners. The top three winners from each country competed in a new event called AYuTe NextGen, the first of its kind. Participants came from countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Senegal, Ethiopia, and Uganda, totaling around fifteen competitors.
He emphasised that the competition had two rounds, both virtual. After the first round, the field was narrowed down, and from there, the top five were chosen to showcase their innovations in Kigali. From these five, the top three were selected, placing Nigeria third in terms of innovation through the AYuTe program. The top three will receive prize money based on their business needs.
"The AYuTe platform provided significant exposure and experience. At the Kigali event, numerous attendees inquired about our work and its potential impact in their countries, highlighting our ability to scale across Africa. Over the past three years, we have piloted our idea, focusing on sustainability and scalability, particularly in training young people as extension workers," Yahaya said.
He noted that the experience underscored the importance of crafting their narrative to appeal not only to farmers but also to companies funding extension services.
"The AYuTe competition is impactful, emphasizing positive stories from farmers. We learned to position our company to communicate effectively with farmers, industry players, and extension agents. The validation we received from participants of various nationalities confirmed our potential to scale regionally, making the experience both enriching and affirming," Yahaya added.
Honourable Eric Rwigamba, Rwanda's Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Resources, emphasized the crucial role of youth and technology in reimagining Africa's agricultural future. He praised the innovations of all AYuTe NextGen finalists and highlighted the transformative impact they could have on the continent.
The competition saw entries from national finalists across several countries, with five competitors emerging to pitch their ideas. The rigorous assessment process culminated in the announcement of the winners, who now join an elite group of AYuTe Champions committed to advancing tech-led agricultural solutions.
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Surita Sandosham, President and CEO of Heifer International, and Adesuwa Ifedi, Senior Vice President of Africa Programs, lauded the ingenuity and determination of the young innovators. They reiterated Heifer's commitment to providing the necessary support to scale these innovative solutions, thereby enhancing the resilience and income of smallholder farmers.
The event forms part of Heifer International's 80th-anniversary celebrations, marking 50 years of impactful work in Africa. Through initiatives like AYuTe Africa NextGen, Heifer International continues to champion the empowerment of young agritech innovators, ensuring a more secure and prosperous future for Africa's agriculture.
