Applications are open for the Innovate Africa Challenge 2026 (3rd Edition), a continental initiative launched by the Smart Africa Secretariat in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The challenge aims to accelerate the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions that address major agricultural and climate challenges across Africa.
The 2026 edition is organized under the theme “From Ideation to Deployment,” emphasizing the transition from innovative concepts and prototypes to practical, scalable solutions that deliver measurable benefits to farmers. The selected solution will receive USD 50,000 to support its deployment, validation, and scaling in real-world farming environments.
Challenge Objectives
• Identify, support, and deploy one proven AI-driven solution for climate-smart agriculture.
• Validate the selected solution in an African agricultural context and demonstrate measurable improvements in farmer decision-making, productivity, or climate resilience.
• Deploy the solution within a Smart Africa Member State in collaboration with the relevant national ministries, the Smart Africa Secretariat, and FAO country offices and technical experts.
• Promote responsible AI, effective data governance, ecosystem collaboration, and sustainable pathways for scaling successful agricultural technologies.
Expected Outcomes
• Deployment of a Scalable and Context-Validated AI Solution: One proven AI-driven solution adapted to African agricultural realities will be deployed and validated in a real-world setting. The project is expected to improve farmer decision-making, agricultural productivity, or resilience to climate-related risks.
• Strengthened Ecosystem and Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: The initiative will strengthen cooperation among innovators, government ministries, FAO offices, private-sector organizations, research institutions, extension services, and farmer organizations. These partnerships will support knowledge exchange, capacity development, and the digital transformation of agriculture.
• Evidence Generation and a Replicable Model for Scale-Up: The challenge will generate evidence and lessons from the deployment process, creating a model that can inform public policy, guide investment, and support the wider adoption of responsible AI solutions across Africa.
Eligibility Criteria
• The challenge is open to startups, innovators, and solution developers actively developing or deploying AI-driven solutions for climate-smart agriculture.
• Applicants may be legally registered entities or teams with a proven record of developing or deploying relevant AI solutions. Teams must have at least two members, with at least 50% of their working time dedicated to the proposed solution.
• Solutions must have a Technology Readiness Level between TRL 3 and TRL 6, ranging from proof of concept to validated technology.
• Applicants must be funded at a minimum of the pre-seed stage and no later than Series A.
• Applicants must have a working, deployed, or deployment-ready AI solution relevant to climate-smart agriculture.
• Applicants should demonstrate operational experience through existing deployments, paying customers, validated pilots, or similar evidence.
• Applicants must demonstrate the technical capacity to deploy and support their solution in a new country context.
• Preference will be given to applicants registered or operating in Smart Africa Member States or those with demonstrated experience in these markets.
• Deployment and validation activities will be prioritized in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, and Uganda. These countries are priority deployment locations rather than an exclusive list of eligible applicant countries.
Participant Requirements
• Participants must comply with applicable data protection and privacy requirements in their countries of operation.
• Participants must apply responsible and explainable AI practices appropriate for agricultural decision-making.
• Solutions must demonstrate processes for identifying and mitigating bias, particularly in relation to gender, geography, and farming systems.
• Innovators must respect farmers’ data rights and obtain appropriate consent for the collection and use of their data.
• Participants must maintain the confidentiality of information shared through the challenge.
• Applicants should demonstrate clear pathways to financial sustainability, scaling, measurable impact, and long-term collaboration within the agricultural innovation ecosystem.
Contact and Additional Information
• Applications close on 31 August 2026.
• For inquiries, applicants should use the contact email provided on the official program page and include “Innovate Africa Challenge 2026 – Questions” in the email subject line.
• Complete eligibility requirements, application instructions, and the submission form are available on the official Innovate Africa Challenge 2026 webpage.
Innovators, startups, and solution developers that meet the eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply. The challenge provides an opportunity to deploy and validate an impactful AI solution in collaboration with governments, FAO experts, agricultural stakeholders, and other partners while contributing to the advancement of climate-smart agriculture and resilient food systems across Africa.