Africa’s most promising young minds in agricultural technology are set to converge in Kampala for the AYuTe NextGen 2025 Conference, a dynamic three-day summit kicking off on June 17.
Organised by Heifer International, the high-profile gathering is Africa’s flagship platform for youth-led innovation in agriculture. With the theme “AgTech Generation Rising,” the event brings together young innovators, investors, policymakers, and development partners to tackle food insecurity with bold, tech-driven solutions.
Eleven finalists, selected from over 100 applicants across 10 African countries, will pitch their cutting-edge ideas—ranging from drone farming to AI-powered agribusiness tools—before a distinguished panel of judges. The goal is to secure seed funding, mentorship, and entry into a growing innovation ecosystem supported by Heifer and its partners.
Dayo Aduroja, Africa Youth and Innovation Lead at Heifer International, said the finalists represent a new wave of youth-led agricultural transformation. “Young people are showing that Africa’s agriculture can be innovative, profitable, and scalable,” he said.
Now in its fourth year, AYuTe NextGen is unique for being youth-run at every level. Young people are not only participants — they are moderators, designers, speakers, and creators, engaging in panel sessions and investor forums on topics like climate resilience, digital disruption, and policy reform.
The platform has already made a continent-wide impact. Startups backed through AYuTe have benefited more than 650,000 people and indirectly reached over 1.2 million. Past winners such as Nigeria’s Thrive Agric, Ethiopia’s Thur Biotech, and Kenya’s Digicow have expanded their reach and reshaped smallholder farming across Africa.
This year’s success stories include Uganda’s Assumpta Nakalema, who won the 2024 national contest with a solar-powered egg incubator helping poultry farmers reduce post-harvest losses. “AYuTe doesn’t just recognise innovation — it builds a whole ecosystem around it,” she said.
Heifer International’s SVP, Adesuwa Ifedi, urged greater support from governments, investors, and development partners. “To Africa’s young innovators, your time is now. To funders and policymakers, the future of agriculture is youth-led and tech-powered. Let’s build it together,” she said.
As the world looks to Africa’s youth to solve the continent’s food security challenges, AYuTe NextGen 2025 offers a powerful reminder: the future of farming is here — and it’s digital, dynamic, and driven by young African minds.
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