Empowering farmers, amplifying youth voices, and scaling what works for Africa’s agricultural transformation

As a Gold Sponsor of the 2025 African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT), the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) in partnership with the GAP Initiative, played a leading role in advancing the dialogue around inclusive and scalable agricultural innovations. The event, held from June 9-12 at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda, brought together over 700 participants from 35 countries, including high-level government officials, researchers, private sector actors, youth innovators, farmers’ organizations, and development partners. Held under the theme “Next-Gen Ag-Tech Solutions for Africa’s Farmers,” the conference showcased powerful discussions and technologies driving food security, climate resilience, youth unemployment, and inclusive development.

Farmer-Centered Innovations at the Core

SAA’s active involvement reflected its commitment to inclusive, farmer-centered innovation, anchored in its three strategic pillars: Regenerative Agriculture, Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture, and Market-Oriented Agriculture.

From the outset, the conference emphasized the importance of placing farmers and youth at the center of agricultural innovation. Rwanda’s Prime Minister, Dr. Édouard Ngirente, opened the event with a compelling call for urgent, solution-driven action supported by enabling policies, infrastructure, and financing. Former Nigerian President and AATF Goodwill Ambassador, H.E. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, urged African governments invest in smallholder farmers through increased budget allocation, credit access, and digital inclusion, reminding delegates of the continent’s potential, 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land and a fast-growing youth population as key drivers of a global agricultural revolution if harnessed effectively.

The SAA team shares a light moment with H.E. Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, former President of Nigeria, during ACAT 2025

Driving Dialogue, Policy and Practice

During the farmers’ dialogue, voices from SACAU, Ingabo Syndicate, and the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation advocated for co-created, localized innovations tailored to farmers' lived realities. They challenged the prevailing top-down model of innovation, advocating instead for grassroots-driven solutions, reliable farmer data, and long-term investment models, echoing SAA’s philosophy, as captured in its guiding mantra “Walking with the Farmer”.

Day 2’s ministerial dialogue spotlighted gender-inclusive policies and investment in agricultural research. Equity Bank Rwanda pledged to allocate 30% of its loan portfolio to agriculture, a milestone commitment that supports emerging agri-tech ventures and farmer cooperatives. In sessions on blended finance and partnership models, the role of trust-based collaboration and cross-sector coordination was strongly highlighted.

Youth-Led Agri-Business and Technology

Youth took center stage on Day 3, with Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Mark Bagabe, urging young people to become creators of agricultural opportunities through entrepreneurship and smart technologies.

SAA was also prominently represented by Dr. Mel Oluoch during a high-level panel session titled “Beyond the Pilot: Scaling Ag-Tech Solutions.” Drawing on SAA’s long-standing experience in last-mile agricultural service delivery, Dr. Mel addressed the challenges of fragmented digital solutions in African agriculture. He cited data showing only 25% of over 5,000 digital platforms achieved meaningful adoption by farmers. He emphasized the need for participatory, farmer-centered digital solutions that are simplified, localized, and co-developed with the end-users. He called for stronger partnerships between developers, governments, researchers, and grassroots organizations to create digital ecosystems that work for smallholders and enable them to thrive in a rapidly evolving agricultural landscape.

Showcasing Innovation for Impact

Throughout the four-day conference, SAA, in partnership with the GAP Initiative, maintained a vibrant presence through a shared exhibition booth. The interactive space attracted a diverse audience of stakeholders interested in farmer-first innovations and practical solutions. The booth highlighted impactful work under SAA’s three strategic pillars: regenerative agriculture, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and market-oriented agriculture. Visitors explored approaches to soil fertility restoration, biochar use, climate-smart agriculture, diversified food production, Nutrition Model Homes, postharvest management techniques, and access to finance and markets. The booth also served as a space for meaningful engagement with media, research institutions, development partners, and financial institutions exploring collaboration and scaling impactful solutions.

Day 4’s technology showcases included a portable LAMP assay device for cassava disease detection and Kigali Rabbit Farm’s artificial insemination program—both demonstrating how local innovations are reshaping agricultural productivity. Parallel sessions focused on youth mentorship, biotech innovation, and intellectual property, all designed to support African agripreneurs.

Kigali Declaration and Future Pathways

ACAT 2025 concluded with the adoption of the Kigali Declaration, a bold set of commitments aimed at scaling farmer education, promoting gender and youth inclusion, strengthening intra-African trade, and democratizing access to agricultural innovations. The declaration also called for greater investment in research, policy coherence, and long-term financing mechanisms that support agri-tech development at scale. These resolutions are closely aligned with SAA’s strategic focus and validate the organization’s ongoing work across its operational countries.

For SAA, the conference wa a reaffirmation of its approach to agricultural development, one that is inclusive, practical, and rooted in the real needs of Africa’s farmers. The discussions, partnerships, and insights gained at ACAT 2025 will inform and strengthen SAA’s ongoing mission to transform smallholder agriculture through regenerative, nutrition-sensitive, and market-driven approaches. As the continent looks ahead to ACAT 2027 in Nairobi, SAA remains committed to scaling what works and walking with the farmer toward a more resilient, innovative, and prosperous agricultural future. 

A cross-section of participants from partner organizations, including the SAA as a proud Gold Sponsor, at the ACAT 2025 in Kigali.