This Week, on African Farms

Google X spinoff, Heritable Agriculture Inc. just got a $4.98 million grant from the Gates Foundation to launch its JASON (Joint AI-driven Smallholder Omics aNalytics) project. This project is focused on making climate-resilient crops to survive tough weather by using AI to find the right genes for small farmers in Africa and other developing regions.

Egypt has set a new record with its fresh and processed agricultural exports hitting $11.5 billion in 2025. This accounts for nearly a quarter of the country’s total exports. Egypt has maintained its spot as the world's top orange exporter for six years straight, a success attributed to its strict quality standards that have opened premium European markets.

Nigeria seems to be making a multi-state push to finally produce its own meat. Ogun State in the south-west announced a processing plant with capacity for 1.3 million birds a year. The same day, Kaduna State in the north-west announced an even bigger $200 million poultry project that could create 350,000 jobs. Even though importing chicken has been banned since 2003, people still smuggle in up to $200 million worth every year because the country simply doesn’t grow enough at home.

The world’s biggest platform for food trade, Gulfood, is officially expanding into Africa with Kenya as its main hub. This is a huge deal because it basically makes Kenya the primary gateway for global food companies and investors looking to get into the continent. It’s a strategic partnership with the UAE that aims to get more African products onto global shelves and help transform the local economy through farming and tech.

Severe flooding in Mozambique has destroyed homes, livestock, and rice fields across the southern and central regions. Rising waters from the Inkomati River, worsened by dam releases in South Africa, have left hundreds of thousands at risk. Many farmers have lost their entire herds of cattle and pigs, raising urgent questions about whether to rebuild in flood-prone zones as climate shocks become the "new normal."

In Nigeria, more than 2,900 smallholder women farmers have gained access to improved agricultural services through ActionAid’s SUPIA II project. The initiative focused on "gender-responsive budgeting," helping women move from subsistence farming to seeing agriculture as a sustainable business.

Farmers in Nakuru are beating the heat with a new "electricity-free" potato shed. Built by Hanse AgroStore for the Chemare Farmers Cooperative, the facility can hold 50 tonnes of potatoes without needing a single watt of power. It’s a huge win for the hundreds of growers in the cooperative as it gives them the breathing room to store their harvest and wait for better market prices, instead of being forced to sell immediately before their produce rots.

Brazil has presented Angola with a $120 million bilateral agreement proposal. The deal involves Angola giving over 20,000 hectares of land to be cultivated by Brazilian farmers using advanced technology transfer. The project, backed by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and the Angola Sovereign Fund, is expected to be formalized in March.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is investing $6.6 million (CFA 14.5 billion) to build a nationwide network of grain silos. The project aims to stabilize food prices and strengthen national security by allowing the government to manage its strategic grain reserves more effectively, starting with a 5,000-ton pilot silo in Kongo Central.

Sahel Capital has finalised a $2.4 million working capital facility for a Ghanaian cocoa-farmer cooperative, Kuapa Kokoo. The facility will support the 100,000-member cocoa cooperative during the peak purchasing season, ensuring that West Africa’s largest farmer union can meet global export demands while maintaining regulated prices for its members.

Ag Safari is looking for volunteers! We are hosting a major event this February for global agriculture business leaders to explore pan-African growth. If you are passionate about the agro-ecosystem and want to connect with leaders, startups, and investors while gaining valuable event management experience, fill out this form to join the Ag Safari team.

The AYuTe Nigeria Challenge 2026 is now open for applications. Young agritech innovators can compete for prizes of up to $40,000 by showcasing solutions that bridge the gap for smallholder farmers. The challenge is looking for technically feasible, climate-smart tools that can scale across the Nigerian market.

The Africa FarmTech Expo Zambia & Southern Africa is scheduled for March 6-8, 2026. The pan-African trade show targets commercial and medium-scale farmers, focusing on food processing, packaging, and agricultural technologies across the Southern African value chain.

The WASSMAS Agriculture Grant is currently accepting applications from small and mid-scale agricultural startups across West Africa. They provide financial support of up to $10,000, with capacity-building training, technical assistance, and equipment support.

The Leventis Foundation Nigeria is now accepting applications for its 2026 One-Year Agricultural Training Programme. This is a fully funded, residential program that equips young Nigerians with practical skills in modern agribusiness. Applications are open to passionate youth looking to build sustainable livelihoods.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and the University of Minnesota's GEMS Informatics are hosting exclusive half-day workshops to showcase their new Agrifood Innovation Intelligence (AFII) platform. AFII is a machine learning-powered tool designed to bridge the gap between agricultural research and private-sector scaling in East Africa. Join them in Nairobi or Addis Ababa next week. To attend, please RSVP [email protected].