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Smart Africa, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has opened applications for the 3rd Edition of the Innovate Africa Challenge 2026. The continental competition is offering a USD 50,000 service contract to scale one proven AI-driven solution for climate-smart agriculture.
Priority areas include:
- Precision agriculture and crop forecasting
- Pest detection and early warning systems
- Smart irrigation and water use optimization
- Climate risk modelling
and climate resilience
Who Can Apply:
- Legally registered start-ups and for-profit entities in any of the 39 Smart Africa Alliance member countries
- Teams with at least 2 members that have been operational for minimum 6 months
- Innovators, agritech entrepreneurs, researchers, and technology companies building AI-powered solutions for agriculture
Also read : why agritech patnership are driving innovation
Priority will be given to solutions that actively serve smallholder farmers, women, and youth, operate in low-connectivity rural areas, and follow responsible AI guidelines.
Applicants should be at Technology Readiness Levels 3 to 6, from pre-seed to Series A.
What Winners Get
The winning team will receive:
We are excited to share with you
This FREE E-Book of 50 Agritech Pioneers & Their Game Changing Innovations.
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- USD 50,000 to support deployment, validation, and scaling
- Technical mentorship, business incubation, and pilot opportunities
- Exposure to investors, government partners, and the wider African innovation ecosystem
- Support to generate evidence for policy and large-scale adoption
Why It Matters
Africa’s agrifood systems face mounting pressure from climate shocks, food insecurity, declining natural resources, and limited access to timely agricultural data.
The challenge aims to accelerate AI adoption to improve productivity, strengthen resilience, and promote sustainable food production across the continent.
How to Apply
Applications are open now and will close on August 31, 2026.
Apply here: https://sti-portal.fao.org/network/
