Eight innovative businesses led by young African women won up to $100,000 in the 2023 YouthAdapt challenge.
This transformative initiative, organized by the African Development Bank Group and the Global Center on Adaptation with support from the Africa Climate Change Fund, aims to propel MSMEs toward innovative climate change adaptation solutions.
The 2021 competition has awarded over $5 million to 33 young African entrepreneurs from 19 countries. This year, female-owned businesses leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) use AI, big data analytics, VR, robotics, IoT, quantum computing, additive manufacturing, blockchain, and fifth-generation wireless for climate adaptation.
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Youth innovation boosts national prosperity
In Dubai’s COP28 ceremony, African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina stressed the importance of youth ideas and creativity in improving livelihoods and national prosperity. He pledged to invest in youth and shape a successful future through the Youth ADAPT initiative, creating 25 million jobs for youth and ensuring 250 million people enter the workforce.
Professor Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation, stressed the importance of nurturing Africa’s youth talent to boost its economy. Canada’s Assistant Deputy Minister for Sub-Saharan Africa, Cheryl Urban, praised the African Development Bank’s YouthADAPT program for scaling youth-led climate businesses and innovations.
Dr. Beth Dunford, Vice President for Agriculture, Human, and Social Development at the African Development Bank, stressed the need to remove financial barriers for women and support climate change entrepreneurs.
Youth Envoy Chido Cleopatra Mpemba of the African Union stressed the importance of creating good ways for people to share information to empower young people.
Lucy Wangari, winner of this year’s Onion Doctor award, said the award would help them scale up their innovative solution to increase local onion production and make the onion value chain profitable for Kenya’s dry and semi-dry farmers.
Former winners discussed their experiences, and Fela Akinse, CEO of Salubata, a company that turns plastic waste into cheap shoes, discussed how the grant is helping their business grow, encouraging clean technology innovation, and letting them change the world.
Most of the winning businesses, run by African women, are in climate-affected sectors like agriculture, energy efficiency, disaster risk management, water resources, and biodiversity. This award recognises their hard work and advances long-term solutions for women entrepreneurs across the continent.
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Full list of winners
ETS Deborah Nzarubara Grencom, DRC: Big data, ETS Grencom’s real-time weather data boosts agricultural productivity and pollinating bees for sustainable farming.
Zambia, Mirriam Chapi, Chapi Core Tech: Through the EaseOn Track app, Chapi Core Tech has empowered over 5,000 women farmers to adopt clean energy and boost agricultural output.
Eddah Wanjiru, Arinifu Technologies, Kenya: The Smart Brooder & Kuku Smart innovation uses Internet of Things technology to provide poultry solutions and operational insights to Kenyan farmers.
Fatoumata Diaby, Jeune Agro-Innovatour, Mali: E-Compost software turns invasive water hyacinth into premium compost, promoting sustainable agriculture.
Beth Koigi, Majik Water Technologies, Kenya: Majik Water Technologies pioneered atmospheric water harvesting for drought-stricken Kenyan farming communities.
Lucy Wangari, Kenya’s Onion Doctor Limited: Onion Doctor Limited optimises onion crop sustainability and profitability for Kenyan farmers using IoT and machine learning.
Daniella Ushindi Viruvuswagha, ETS Chemchem Agro, DRC: Their ApiConnect app uses Machine Learning to strategically place beehives strategically, increasing DRC honey production.
Stephanie Meltus, Green Eden Farms, Nigeria: Scarecrow technology gives Nigerian farmers real-time insights, improving productivity and resilience.