AgriTech Innovators secure US$74,000 grant in prestigious UNU-INRA INFoCAT challenge

By Buertey Francis BORYOR

Ten exceptional agriculture technology (AgricTech) innovators partaking in the United Nations University-Institute for Natural Resources in Africa’s (UNU-INRA) Innovate for Clean Agricultural Technologies (INFoCAT) innovative challenge have each received a US$7,400 grant, totalling US$74,000.

The gesture is to enable the innovators who have advanced impactful solutions for sustainable development in Ghana scale up their businesses and innovations.

The beneficiaries were selected from over 100 AgriTech entrepreneurs who successfully pitched their concepts during the INFoCAT competition.

They comprised the following: iSOLAR Ghana– a smart solar powered irrigation system that leverages a 3.5 megawatts solar energy for efficient irrigation for up to 15 acres of farmland within 4-5 hours, Harvest Ease Innovators– a company into agricultural mechanisation, and Amuga Welding and Machine shop– a metal fabrication company.

The remainder included: WOBIL Technologies Ltd, Hormeku-Massis Enterprise, Das Biogas, Sunify Solar Dry Technology, as well as SAYeTECH- a Ghanaian agricultural technology company.

The INFoCAT innovation challenge aims to support low-cost clean energy-powered agritech innovators, with the intention to expand access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy technologies for smallholder women and youth farmers in Ghana, Senegal and Cote D’Ivoire to increase agricultural productivity and income.

Its objective is to support the development and expansion of affordable, labour-saving, clean energy agricultural technology solutions to save time and reduce drudgery.

It is also to support clean energy agriculture technology start-ups with a focus on women-led enterprises, while create avenues for mentorship, access to networking and training.

It is being sponsored by IDRC under the Clean Energy for Development, in partnership with Enda Energie and UNU-INRA.

INFoCAT Project Coordinator Dr. Ferdinand Tornyie, addressing media at the INFoCAT Grant Award ceremony, December, 20, 2024, in Accra said the challenge is part of a bigger project aiming to bring the informal sector or small businesses into the green transition- by supporting them to develop green technologies, and generate green energy that will power the future.

“These exceptional innovators are going to be awarded a seed money not less than $7,400 each to design their technologies. These technologies however must show the potential of greening.

“We received a lot of applications from young innovators across the country, and threw challenges to them. After that, we shortlisted and built their capacity. They then did a final pitching, and we selected 10 out of over 100 applications received. Our focus is particularly on women-led enterprises.

“It is important to note that, the best technology among the ten selected technologies would receive $34,000 for upscaling and expansion of their businesses.” he added.

Also, he noted that the AgriTech teams have been paired with experts to help them fine-tune their technologies to practicalise the green transition.

To ensure value for money he said, a robust audit system is in place to see to it that, monies allocated to the teams are used for the intended purposes.

“The audit system will also ensure that experts assigned to the various teams are helping them to do the right thing,” he added.

Meanwhile, Professor Christopher Gordon, Former Director of the Institute of Environment and Sanitation Studies at the University of Ghana, in keynote remarks, encouraged the participants to create synergies to compete effectively with international competitors.

“The competition does not end here. Right now, you are competing with Senegal and Ivory Coast. Those francophone guys are very smart, so I would urge you to come together to find out how you can do a value chain innovation which combines different things together. Doing this would enable you to come out with viable products that investors would want to have.  By working together you would become stronger, but always remember that you are all in competition,” he elaborated

UNU-INRA is one of the 15 research and training centres of the United Nations University (UNU), focusing predominantly on Africa. It serves as a platform to amplify the continent’s voices and showcase made-in Africa solutions.

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