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“Africa’s Food Future on the Brink”, Ogheneovo Ugbebor Warns at DIniti8tive-Agropedia Webinar

Declaring the event open, Sharon Ayeni, a member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of DIniti8tive, who spoke through the Co-Founder and Managing Partner Dr Fidelis Ekom noted said despite the dim hope caused by unannounced floods, overstretched droughts and harvest loss “because the climate has changed faster than our systems have adapted”, that “across the continent, innovators, researchers, policymakers and agripreneurs are building AI tools that predict climate shocks, developing drought-resistant systems, strengthening seed value chains, restoring degraded land and designing market structures that help farmers not just survive but thrive.”

This she said was the reason for the webinar.

Beyond the insightful keynote address by Ogheneovo Ugbebor of Ikore International which Techeconomy has written on the webinar featuring a robust panel session that explored practical, scalable solutions for mitigating climate risks and strengthening food security in Nigeria and across Africa.

The discussants included Munir Ahmed, project coordinator at IITA and the Islamic Development Bank; Nazeer Ahmad, Thematic Coordinator Rural Structure Formation at Extension Africa; Ronke Adeniyi, programme manager at the Environmental and Economic Resource Centre; Chief Bassey Archibong, CEO of Agropedia; Dr. Rufus Idris, country director of AGRA;  and Daniel Udeme-Joseph, the Founder of Farm Monitor Africa who are experts across technology, agronomy, rural development, and market systems, examined how farmers and agribusinesses can adapt to increasingly volatile climate conditions.

Ronke Adeniyi who has worked with farmers in various regions picked out water harvesting, solar irrigation, organic soil amendment, early warning systems and improved seed varieties as scalable methods that work best in helping farmers manage floods, droughts and declining soil health.

She also encouraged that “we should create waterways so that water can always find its level. We can also build water dikes that can be a form of embankment for water, so it does not wash away our farmlands.”

Discussions also centered on climate financing, as Munir Ahmed of the IITA/IsDB informed various farmer groups present such as the Association of Rice Farmers of Nigeria, Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria and Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria of the climate insurance schemes tailored to smallholder farmers.

He emphasized that money must be put in the upstream (production stage) of agriculture and not just in the downstream (processing) sectors of agricultural production, “channel more monies into research and seed development to enhance derisking mechanisms, lower production cost and increase output/harvest.”

Agropedia’s Chief Bassey Archibong shared the unique challenges of women and youth-led agric enterprises and noted that most farmers lack financial buffers to recover from climate shocks, leading to massive income losses, reduced planting seasons, and worsening poverty cycles.

“We work in a number of communities in Adamawa, Gombe and Borno States and what we see is a lot of light harvest. A lot of women lost their crops just because there was a dry spell for more than 3 weeks”, he said.

He said women involvement in the design and management of agric tools and application is germane for effectiveness.

He and others called for innovative insurance solutions, public-private partnerships, and supportive policies that de-risk climate investments.

Mr Nazeer Ahmad of Extension Africa demonstrated how data driven tools and digital platforms enhance small -holder farmers’ resistance to climate shock especially in regions with poor connectivity and no extension.

“Digital extension services provide farmers with accurate, timely and personalized information via mobile application, via IPI calls”.

He however added that connectivity and digital literacy remains very low, limiting the adoption of these digital services, “so there is a need for collaboration between partners. There’s a need for the government to come in and set up internet infrastructure to enable farmers to utilize all those digital services.”

He mentioned Extension Africa’s Precision Development that promotes climate advisory services and the Intelligent Agriculture Systems Tool, the Plantic disease diagnosis application and how they give pre-season and inseason prompts to farmers on  flood, drought, when to apply fertilizer etc. all of which “translate to increase in yield for farmers”.

This is as Dr. Rufus Idris dissected the socio-economic implications of climate risks, noting that unpredictable weather patterns have made traditional knowledge insufficient for modern farming.

Drawing from AGRA’s current intervention in Africa, Idris noted key lessons that stand out in building climate resilience at scale, he emphasized that access to real-time climate information, improved resilience planning, regenerative agriculture and community-level capacity building must take precedence.

Likewise Daniel Udeme-Joseph, CEO of Farm Monitor Africa during his much anticipated experiential sharing spoke on interventions at Farm Monitor such as the Automated Climate-Smart Ai-Powered Crop Calendar, (seed, fertilizer) Input Advisory and Alternative Credit Score, Crop Yield Predictor and Monitoring; “so we essentially act as bank within the bank to reach farmers on the ground, and then with the use of farm monitor, they’re able to get credit to buy inputs, improve seedlings and pay for services like mechanisation.”

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Reeling out results, Udeme-Joseph declared that Farm Monitor works with 350,000 farmers across four States of Nigeria, as well as in Uganda, and have helped to increase their average yield by 35%, household income by 31%, input cost reduction by 21% and adoption of climate-smart practices

that interventions and funding in agriculture should go beyond the upstream processing sector to the downstream production sector. He called for an organised farmer credit information management system to ensure equitable distribution of loan facilities.

These experts warned that technology must be accompanied by training, infrastructure, and affordability mechanisms to ensure broad adoption.

They stressed that climate-smart agriculture cannot be optional; it is a necessity for long-term food sustainability.

The panel session further underscored the importance of market access and strengthening value chains. Climate risk management, they argued, must include strategies that ensure farmers can profitably sell their produce despite environmental challenges. Interventions such as cold-chain logistics, storage technologies, and stable aggregation systems were recommended.

Qestions were taken from participants who needed support with research, funding and mentorship.

Panelists listed opportunities in severance research institutes, built connections and promised to share data and collaborate in projects and sustainability.

The next steps session was led by  Udeme-Joseph of Farm Monitor while Emeka Nwankwo, the Managing Partner and Co Founder of DIniti8tive expressed the organisation’s readiness to continue in the quest for tech inclusion in agriculture, finance, education, health etc.

Throughout the panel, DIniti8tive’s role in convening multi-sector stakeholders was repeatedly acknowledged as crucial for bridging the knowledge gap and promoting collaborative action. The discussion concluded with a call for sustained engagement and the implementation of insights shared during the webinar.

With a prize pool of $160,000, this initiative seeks the most promising agri-food innovators aged 18 to 35 who are driving food security, sustainability, and economic growth across the continent.

The competition, now in its seventh edition, offers funding, mentorship, networking, and exposure to help agripreneurs scale their ventures. 

Finalists will pitch their businesses live at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Dakar, Senegal, from 31 August to 5 September 2025.

Two grand prize winners—one male and one female entrepreneur—will each receive $50,000. An additional $60,000 in Impact Awards will go to businesses excelling in areas such as climate resilience, technology, gender equity, food security, and job creation.

Why This Matters

Africa is at a crossroads. With its high and continuously growing population, as well as food insecurity, young entrepreneurs are stepping up with innovative agribusiness solutions. 

However, lack of funding, mentorship, and infrastructure is still a huge challenge. The GoGettaz Prize aims to bridge this gap by investing in businesses that have the potential to boost the agricultural sector and create employment opportunities.

“I am continually amazed by the ingenuity and determination of the young entrepreneurs we meet through the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition each year,” said Svein Tore Holsether, president and CEO of Yara International.

“Their ability to leverage technology and innovative business models showcases the immense potential of the agrifood sector and the pivotal role of entrepreneurship in sustainable development.”

Who Can Apply?

To qualify, applicants must:
Be between 18 and 35 years old at the time of submission.
Be citizens of an African Union member country.
Be founders or co-founders of a legally registered agribusiness in Africa.
Ensure their business is registered by 10 June 2025.

The competition welcomes businesses from across the entire agrifood value chain—from farm innovations and agri-tech to food processing and distribution.

How to Apply

GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize 2025 is a launchpad for young agripreneurs to gain funding, connect with investors, and expand their businesses across Africa. Past winners have used the platform to attract more investment, build strategic partnerships, and create jobs.

Strive Masiyiwa, founder of Econet Group, commented: “They aren’t waiting around for the perfect conditions; they are seizing the moment and embracing technology to revolutionize the agrifood industry across the continent.”

If you have a great agribusiness idea, this is your opportunity. Apply before the deadline on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, and take your business to the next level!

Themed “The Role of African Youth within African Food Systems” the competition will instill a culture of innovation and nurturing for technology-led agribusiness innovations, to create jobs and improve youth livelihoods. 

The AgriPitch 2022 competition partners include women-founded and led enterprise support advisory firm Private Equity Support; the Private Financing Advisory Network, a global network of climate and clean energy financing experts; and EldoHub, an education, innovation, and technology organization targeting youth and women.

The 2022 edition of AgriPitch will help competitors identify innovative solutions and develop ideas that contribute to strengthening Africa’s food systems, mitigate the effects of gender marginalization, and enhance sustainable nutrition across the continent. 

Held annually, the AgriPitch competition is a key activity of the Bank’s Enable Youth Program and also provides technical capacity-building skills as well as facilitates youth access to financing.

Benefits

Agripreneurs will vie for a share of $140,000 in seed funding prizes, a slot in the competition’s business development boot camp, as well as receive mentoring, training and coaching from experts.

Semifinalists will pitch their business plans to potential investors in the AgriPitch deal room, be eligible for one-on-one mentorship, and access to post-competition digital expertise.

Eligibility

The AgriPitch competition is open to African youth between the ages of 18 to 35 years who work within the agriculture value chain. 

AgriPitch 2022 offers three competition categories: 

• Early Start-ups (0-3 years of operation)
• Mature Start-ups (3 or more years in operation)
• Women-Empowered Businesses (firms with at least 51% share of women ownership or founded by a woman).

How to apply

Apply for the AfDB AgriPitch Competition 2022 before the deadline of Friday, November 4, 2022.