Heifer International Uganda, in partenership with Makerere UniPod and Mastercard Foundation, awarded winners of the third edition of AYuTe Africa challenge on Thursday night at a crowning event held at Makerere University Yusuf Lule Central Teaching facility.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, Mak deputy VC (Acadenic Affairs) said it is an honour for Makerere University to host the awarding ceremony of the third edition of the AYuTe Africa Challenge. Mukadazi said Makerere is looking forward to partnering with Heifer International to support innovators.
William Matovu, Country Director of Heifer International Uganda, highlighted the essential role of youth in transforming agriculture.
“Young innovators hold tremendous potential to drive transformative change in agriculture. This year’s innovations, from automated irrigation systems to poultry innovations, truly reflect the energy and creativity of our youth,” he said.
Matovu also thanked Heifer’s partners in this year’s AYuTe Africa Challenge including the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), EzyAgric, HiveColab, Makerere University, Forvis Mazers and the Ministry of ICT & National Guidance.
Dr Ronald Gyagenda Ssegawa, the Under Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Industry and Fisheries, who represented the Guest of Honor, Honourable Bright Rwamirama, the Minister of State for Animal Industry, commended the participants and emphasized the importance of collaboration in advancing agriculture:
“As we celebrate their success, let us remember that the journey of transforming agriculture requires the collective efforts of governments, private sector partners, and organizations like Heifer International. Together, we can continue to provide young innovators with the resources, mentorship, and opportunities they need to bring their solutions to scale,” he said.
Assumpta Nakalema’s innovation of a solar egg incubator has won her the top prize of UGX 50,000,000 at the third edition of the AYuTe Africa Challenge-Uganda. Nakalema thanked Heifer Uganda for supporting her and encouraged all innovators to continue believing in themselves.
“I thank Heifer International for believing in us and supporting us. I thank all the innovators who were with us in this edition and urge them not to give up, stay on the course. I encourage those coming up in season four to believe in themselves,” she said.
Angel Uwera was the first runner-up with a rapid soil testing machine, the “MAK Agrometer” winning herself UGX 25,000,000 while Olivia Nakiwanuka’s Axis Solar won her UGX 10,000,000 to emerge the second runner-up.
Organized by Heifer International, Uganda, the AYuTe Africa Challenge is an initiative dedicated to empowering young entrepreneurs and revolutionizing the agricultural sector across Africa.
AYuTe, which stands for Agriculture, Youth, and Technology, provides a dynamic platform for young innovators to present cutting-edge solutions to critical challenges in agriculture.
Since its launch in 2021, the challenge has become a cornerstone of Heifer International’s mission to build pro-poor value chains, foster youth and women empowerment, and promote environmental sustainability in Uganda and beyond.
The program has been a catalyst for innovation, economic resilience, and agri-tech advancement, showcasing the transformative potential of close to 500 youth-driven solutions.
This year’s competition saw a record 261 submissions, with 83 of them coming from female innovators — a significant increase from previous years. The innovations covered a wide spectrum, including soil testers, automated irrigation systems, farm monitoring robotics and pest detection devices.
In a bid to encourage female participation, two slots were preserved for women innovators this year, with Stella Nakirijja and Patricia Ninsiima’s innovations of a solar powered tick detector and a grain preserving nano technology, respectively each winning UGX 3,500,000.
Other winners included all the top ten finalists where each took home UGX 2,000,000 as a recognition of their efforts to create groundbreaking innovations in agriculture.
In total, the AYuTe Africa Challenge has engaged 704 young talents from diverse backgrounds since its inception; 158 of these female agri-tech innovators.
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