By Onche Odeh
(Reporting from Kigali, Rwanda)
The second edition of the African Conference on Agricultural Technology (ACAT) opened on Monday in Kigali, Rwanda with a strong call for developers and researchers of agricultural technologies to place African farmers and youth at the heart of the innovation and development process.
The opening day of the conference—co-hosted by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the government of Rwanda through the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI)—set the tone for conversations which the organisers hope will offer accessible technological solutions to some of Africa’s agricultural challenges.
During the early sessions, participants stressed the importance of structured dialogue and inclusive policy frameworks that prioritise the realities in the expressed needs of farmers and young people, who have been identified as a strong cohort for addressing Africa’s food and agricultural challenges.
Ishmael Sunga, CEO, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), who spoke at a farmers dialogue session, emphasised the urgent need to reposition farmers from passive recipients to active partners in agricultural research and innovation.
He said, “Most current research focuses on technically or scientifically relevant issues, which don’t always reflect the real, day-to-day concerns of farmers.”
“We must begin addressing policy, social, and cultural issues—those ‘non-technical’ barriers that often hinder transformation,” he added.
Ishmael also challenged the prevailing approach to measuring research success, suggesting a rethink of key performance indicators (KPIs) for agricultural research, saying farmers should be the first point of reference for defining such research outcomes.
“We need co-created solutions that recognize science as just one of many sources of knowledge,” he said.
Similar view was expressed by Cesarie Kantarama, a farmer and Board President, Ingabo Syndicate in Rwanda.
Kantarama highlighted weak links between agricultural technology and market access. “Technology is non-negotiable if African agriculture is to become profitable. But for tech to work, you need a viable product, a ready customer, and access to finance.”
She called for greater efforts to align innovation with commercial viability and farmer realities, stressing that efficiency and delivery speed hinge on appropriate technological solutions.
Elizabeth Nsimadala, President, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), raised concerns about preponderance of unreliable agricultural data, particularly regarding the number of smallholder farmers on the continent.
Citing an example, she said the oft-cited figure of 33 million smallholder farmers in Africa grossly underestimates the actual number, noting that rough estimation puts the number of smallholder farmers across Africa at more than 80 million.
“The data models are flawed because they don’t prioritize farmers as primary data sources.”
She advocated for scalable, farmer-centered research models and urged stakeholders to embrace ecosystem approaches that position farmers as co-creators.
“Grassroots innovations are emerging from real farming challenges. Sadly, many tech developers ignore these solutions, choosing instead to push their own products as saviors. We must flip this narrative,” she stated.
Nsimadala also pointed out that the short-term nature of many agricultural tech investments on the continent is counter-productive, noting that once pilot projects end, gains often reverse due to lack of sustained support.
Meanwhile Dr. Canisius Kanangire, Executive Director (AATF) has acknowledged the challenges in ensuring that agricultural innovations that have been developed for Africa reach their intended users.
“At AATF, we have made significant strides in developing research-driven solutions across 24 African countries—addressing productivity barriers related to climate change, pests, diseases, and policy inefficiencies.
“Despite progress in research and technology development, the diffusion of these innovations to end-users, especially farmers, remains limited. Persistent bottlenecks are preventing the delivery of these innovations to market, which diminishes the return on investment in agricultural R&D and undermines the intended impact,” he stated in his welcome remarks on the day.
According to Kanangire, bold actions by policymakers and institutions are needed to unlock the full potential of agricultural Research and Development that will enhance value chain performance and foster intra-African trade.
He said, this is what ACAT aims to achieve.
“This conference is a timely opportunity to reflect on years of effort and build momentum around the commercialization and adoption of technologies that can transform African agriculture.”
ACAT 2025 continues through the week with sessions on climate-smart technologies, farmer-led innovation, youth inclusion, financing models, and policy frameworks.
