Heifer International Kenya celebrated the winners of the 2024 AYuTe Africa Challenge Kenya at a gala in Nairobi last week.
The competition featured two categories: product development and ideation.
Winners in the Product Development Category:
– Desiccated Sweetness Ltd: Winner, awarded $15,000.
– Pollen Patrollers: 1st Runner-Up, received $7,500.
– Pureplant Organics Ltd: 2nd Runner-Up, awarded $5,500.
– Finalists Farmsky Ventures and Boka Eats Limited each received $1,200.
Winners in the Ideation Category:
– Azolla and Duckweed Poultry Meal: Winner, received $7,500.
– SowPrecise Africa: 1st Runner-Up, awarded $5,500.
– nanaHeal Enterprise: 2nd Runner-Up, received $3,800.
– Finalists Droughtsmart Solutions and Nutrifish/Samaki Stop each received $800.
Clarice Bugo Kionge, Interim Country Director, highlighted the critical role of technology in empowering youth and transforming agriculture. She noted that this year’s increased cash prizes aim to provide sufficient grants to help winners actualize their innovations.
Faith Kwamboka of Desiccated Sweetness Ltd and Samuel Kimani of Azolla and Duckweed Poultry Meal expressed gratitude for the support and shared plans to use the funding to expand and refine their innovations.
Themed ‘Identify, Elevate, Grow Together: Propelling Agriculture Transformation Through Youth-Led Innovations’, this third edition attracted 308 applicants, narrowing to 10 finalists after rigorous judging. The challenge focused on youth-led agri-tech solutions addressing key needs in the agricultural value chain, from production to market access.
Winners also benefited from a one-month incubation program through the E4Impact Accelerator, gaining mentorship, networking, and investment opportunities.
The AYuTe Challenge is part of a continental initiative to catalyze youth-led innovations, using technology to empower smallholder farmers and transform agriculture across Africa.
