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With the theme “AgTech Generation Rising,” the 2025 conference which convenes young innovators, investors, policymakers, and development partners is a clarion call to recognize and support the game-changing solutions Africa’s young minds are building to revolutionize food systems.
The Challenge: A Growing Youth Population, a Stressed Food System
Africa’s population is the fastest growing globally, projected to reach 4.3 billion by 2100. Home to the world’s fastest-growing youth population—with more than 60% under the age of 25— the continent is simultaneously grappling with a food system strained by climate change, market volatility, and outdated infrastructure. Young people are often locked out of the agricultural sector, facing barriers to capital, mentorship, and viable markets. Many young Africans also view agriculture as outdated and unprofitable, resulting in a skills shortage in a sector critical to continental food security.
AYuTe (Agriculture, Youth, and Technology) is Heifer International’s strategic answer to these critical challenges. By focusing on youth-led innovation, the initiative reframes agriculture as a modern, profitable, tech-enabled industry, and positions young Africans not as beneficiaries, but as the architects of Africa’s agricultural renaissance.
AYuTe NextGen 2025: Innovation Meets Opportunity
The 2025 AYuTe NextGen conference follows an intense, continent-wide competition that drew over 100 applicants from 10 countries. Through rigorous technical assessment sessions in Lagos and Nairobi, 11 finalists emerged, armed with solutions that are climate-smart, market-ready, and laser-focused on access to finance and scale.
These finalists will pitch live before a distinguished panel of investors, policymakers, and ecosystem enablers, with the chance to secure catalytic seed funding, mentorship, and a place in the innovation ecosystem being provided by Heifer and its strategic partners. From drone technology to AI-driven analytics, the solutions on display reflect the ingenuity, passion, and drive of Africa’s next generation.
“This is the AgTech generation rising, ready, capable, and already leading,” said Adesuwa Ifedi, Senior Vice President for Africa Programs, Heifer International. “With AYuTe NextGen, we are spotlighting youth as the true architects of Africa’s agricultural future and giving them the tools and partnerships they need to scale solutions that build resilient, inclusive food systems.”
Dayo Aduroja, Africa Youth and Innovation Lead at Heifer International, added that young people are proving that Africa’s agriculture can be both innovative and profitable. “This year's competition generated many bold, creative solutions from across the continent," he said. "The conference provides a platform where ideas meet opportunity, and solutions gain the capital and support needed to scale.”
Youth-Led. Youth-Focused. Transformational.
What makes AYuTe NextGen unique is its focus on youth leadership at every level. This is not a conference where young people are on the sidelines, they are the speakers, designers, moderators, and creators. Interactive forums, fireside chats, and investor conversations will be led by youth, tackling issues from digital disruption and climate resilience to policy reform and inclusive financing. These are authentic, unfiltered conversations designed to spark investment and scale innovation.
Why It Matters
• For Youth: A rare opportunity to showcase ideas, learn from peers, and connect with partners who believe in your potential.
• For Investors: Access to pipeline-ready innovations and the next wave of AgTech startups shaping Africa’s food economy.
• For Policymakers: A first-hand look at what youth-led innovation can achieve with the right policies and ecosystem support.
From Local Ideas to Continental Impact
Now in its fourth year, AYuTe NextGen has supported dozens of startups across Africa, whose innovative solutions have impacted more than 650,000 direct beneficiaries and over 1.2 million indirect beneficiaries across the continent. Past winners like Thrive Agric (Nigeria), Thur Biotech (Ethiopia), and Digicow (Kenya) are scaling their businesses and bringing transformative change to smallholder communities.
The 2024 Uganda winner of the country level competition, Assumpta Nakalema, developed a solar-powered egg incubator that is already reducing post-harvest losses and energy dependency for poultry farmers. As she puts it: “The AYuTe NextGen platform doesn’t just identify innovations, it builds the ecosystem needed for sustained growth and impact.”
SVP Ifedi acknowledged the support of Heifer International's existing partners and called for increased stakeholder collaboration to enable youth-led agricultural development. She urged investors, funders, and governments to recognize that supporting young innovators today means securing Africa's food future tomorrow.
“To Africa’s young innovators, your time is now," she said. "Step forward with your vision. The continent is ready. To investors, policymakers, and funders, be part of this movement. The future of African agriculture is tech-driven, youth-led, and unfolding in real time. Let’s work together to co-create an inclusive, resilient food future.”
About Heifer International
Since 1944, Heifer International has worked with more than 52 million people around the world to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way, while caring for the Earth. Heifer currently operates in 19 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, supporting farmers and food producers to strengthen local economies and build secure livelihoods that provide a living income. For more information, visit heifer.org/about-us
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