Kenya-based Farmerlifeline Technologies has won the third edition of the Innovate Africa Challenge (IAC III), securing a US$50,000 implementation grant for its artificial intelligence (AI) solution designed to support climate-smart agriculture.
Organised by Smart Africa, the competition focused on AI applications in climate-smart agriculture and brought together 11 finalist teams from Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda. Participants presented technology-driven innovations aimed at addressing agricultural challenges affecting farmers across the continent.
Farmerlifeline Technologies emerged as the winner with a solution that uses solar-powered AI cameras installed in agricultural fields to monitor crops and identify pests and diseases at an early stage.
The system sends farmers SMS alerts with treatment recommendations in their local languages, enabling them to respond to potential crop threats and make more informed decisions about crop management.
With the US$50,000 grant, the Kenyan team will deploy its solution over the next six months, moving the technology from the competition stage towards practical implementation.
The finalists took part in an intensive bootcamp and final pitching session in Kigali, Rwanda, where they presented their AI-powered innovations. The programme provided an opportunity for African teams to develop and showcase solutions tailored to the needs of farmers and agricultural communities.
Smart Africa acknowledged the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as its partner for the third edition, with additional support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). The organisation also recognised the contributions of mentors and jury members who supported the programme.
The conclusion of IAC III marks another step in Smart Africa’s efforts to support African innovators developing AI-driven solutions. The next phase will focus on deploying the selected technologies and translating their potential into practical applications across the continent’s agricultural sector.
