Four youthful agricultural technology innovators have won the Agriculture, Youth and Technology (AYuTe) NextGen 2025 competition following a three-day conference held in Kampala, Uganda, from June 17 to June 19.
The four are Carolyn Mwangi, Maryanne Gichanga—both from Kenya, Nana Opoku from Ghana and Richies Attai from Nigeria.
According to a statement from Heifer International—organisers of the initiative, finalists competed in two categories of climate-smart agriculture and access to finance and markets.
“In the climate-smart agriculture category, the overall winner was Carolyn Mwangi, founder and chief executive officer [CEO] of Kimplanter Seedlings and Nurseries whose data-driven enterprise supplies climate-resilient vegetable, fruit and tree seedlings tailored for smallholder farmers.
“The first runner-up was Maryanne Gichanga, CEO of Agritechs Analytics, recognised for her solar-powered farm sensors that enable pest alerts, soil health monitoring and remote management mobile tools,” reads part of the statement.
“In the access to finance and markets category, the overall winner was Nana Opokum, CEO of Grow for Me, whose digital platform empowers individuals to invest in crops managed by experienced farmers, sharing profits post-harvest.
The first runner-up was Richies Attai, co-founder and CEO of Winich Farms, whose end-to-end tech platform connects farmers directly to factories and provides bundled credit and insurance solutions.”
Developed and hosted by Heifer International, AyuTe NextGen is Africa’s premier platform for youth-led agricultural innovation, designed to empower young people in shaping the future of food.
Mwangi is quoted in the statement as having said the recognition shows that Africa’s agricultural future will be shaped by youth-led innovations.
She said: “We have always believed that building resilience for smallholder farmers starts with something as simple, yet powerful, as the right seedlings. Winning AYuTe NextGen is not just a milestone for our team, it’s a sign that Africa’s agricultural future will be shaped by innovation, data, and the determination of young entrepreneurs like us.”
On his part, Opoku is also quoted in the statement as having said: “This opportunity validates our work and marks the beginning of a major shift for Ghana’s smallholder farmers.
“It will go a long way in unlocking financial opportunities, bringing greater stability, increasing incomes, and providing protection against crop losses. This win is not just ours; it is a win for smallholder farmers across Ghana.”
The event was held under the theme ‘AgTech Generation Rising’ and it brought together emerging leaders, investors, policymakers and development partners from across the continent.
