Estonia sows the seeds for innovation in agriculture in Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and Zambia by combining data and AI

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 60% of employment in Africa is in agrifood systems, of which about 75% are directly employed in farming. Implementing data-driven, AI-assisted decision-making in agriculture has the potential to reshape the entire sector from the field to getting the final product to consumers in Africa and around the world. 

Innovative digital solutions can improve productivity, efficiency, and sustainability while also creating food systems that are better able to adapt to the challenges caused by climate change. 

Despite these many benefits, farmers face significant obstacles to adopting these innovations, as they may lack access to digital tools, have limited digital literacy, poor internet connectivity, or rely on traditional farming methods, all of which hinder their ability to leverage agritech solutions. 

How is Estonia boosting agritech innovation? 

Currently, ESTDEV is supporting several agritech-related initiatives under the framework of the Data Governance in Africa Team Europe Initiative, including training programmes in Côte d'Ivoire and Kenya and the Think Like an Investor programme, which has two agritech startups among the 10 supported startups.  

According to Laura Roop, ESTDEV’s project manager, data is one of the most powerful enablers of transformation in the agriculture sector. “From satellite imagery and soil data to market trends and farmer records, different types of data can unlock smarter decision-making, increase productivity and strengthen food security. But this impact is only possible when stakeholders, such as local and national governments, farmers and private sector actors, collaborate to make data accessible, usable and responsibly governed,” said Roop. 

Kenya 

This week, members of 30 community-based organisations (CBOs) from five counties in Kenya attended a two-day workshop on data-driven decision making in the agricultural sector. Some of the topics covered included using data visualisation for farming, the use of drones for precision farming, data protection and ethical data collection and use. 

The workshop was a collaborative effort between by Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), the German development agency GIZ, Expertise France, and local partner Eldohub, one of Kenya’s leading tech innovation hubs, and featured additional presentations from the Kenya Space Agency (KSA) and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). 

“Through this programme, farmers and CBOs are not only learning about data, but they're also gaining the confidence to use it to make informed choices for their communities. We’ve seen firsthand how building local capacity unlocks potential, fostering a climate-resilient, productive and inclusive agritech system that can strengthen Kenya’s national food basket,” said Laban Bore, a data scientist at Eldohub. 

Workshop on data-driven decision making in the agricultural sector.

Côte d'Ivoire 

Last week, thirty Ivorian startups attended a Data & AI Bootcamp in Abidjan in early July. The attendees honed their skills in data science, AI and satellite technologies to address agricultural challenges with practical, locally developed solutions. By the end of the bootcamp, participants developed their own concepts for applying AI to address agricultural challenges in their local contexts. 

The bootcamp was funded by ESTDEV, GIZ and Expertise France and organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Transition and Digitalization and Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production of Côte d'Ivoire. 

Think Like an Investor 

The Think Like an Investor programme began last summer with the selection of 10 digital social innovations and will continue until July 2026. The 10 startups chosen to participate in the programme have undergone investment readiness training and mentoring and have been provided networking opportunities. Two of the startups are in the agritech sector: agriBORA, a Kenyan platform providing smallholder farmers with access to input loans and digital tools for sustainable farming, and Panuka AgriBiz Hub, a mobile app offering scalable agricultural mentorship, real-time insights, and tools for financial literacy and risk management. 

“Our experience in the programme has been deeply enriching. The exposure to cutting-edge tools and one-on-one engagement with global experts has significantly sharpened our strategic lens,” said Bruno Mweemba, the managing director and founder of Panuka AgriBiz Hub. “Our recent learning trip to Estonia, including our attendance at Latitude59, further reinforced the importance of digital infrastructure and data-driven systems in scaling agricultural impact, especially for agripreneurs operating in emerging markets.” 

ESTDEV’s efforts encourage small-scale farmers and agribusinesses to access, understand, and use data, especially as the development of locally led solutions is crucial to ensuring the sustainability of these initiatives. Through these trainings and the support of two digital social innovations, ESTDEV aims to promote data-driven solutions in Africa to build more resilient and inclusive agricultural systems. 

The Data Governance in Africa Team Europe Initiative is funded by the European Union and five Member States: Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, and Germany. It is jointly implemented by Digital Africa, Enabel, ESTDEV, HAUS, Expertise France, and GIZ. This TEI aims to build inclusive digital ecosystems that uphold data rights, foster innovation and promote sustainable development across Africa.