The second edition of the African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT) officially kicked off on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda, with speakers issuing a rallying call for increased investment and stronger partnerships to support the sustainable adaptation and adoption of agricultural technologies.
The four-day event running is co-hosted by the Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources (MINAGRI), and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), under the theme: “NextGen Ag-Tech Solutions for Africa’s Farmers.”
“We need supportive ecosystems – including enabling policies, investments in infrastructure, access to finance – and, most importantly, the voices and agency of farmers themselves must shape the solutions we develop and promote,” said Dr. Édouard Ngirente, Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda, as he presided over the official opening ceremony in Kigali.
He urged all the stakeholders attending the conference to use the ACAT platform to not only share knowledge but also forge practical partnerships that can scale proven innovations and bring real transformation to smallholder farmers who are the true custodians of Africa’s food systems.
“Let us remember that technology is not just about tools and platforms – it is about people. It is about a farmer, young or old, in a rural village using a mobile phone to check crop prices. It is about a young innovator developing a drone to monitor pests and diseases. It is about a continent that believes in its capacity to feed itself and to thrive,” added Dr. Ngirente.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Former President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, said: “Africa can turn around some of the current challenges facing its agricultural sector. However, he maintained that no single country, institution, or actor can transform African agriculture alone.
“Transforming Africa’s agriculture can only happen if countries and institutions in the region collaborate across borders and sectors. African governments must work hand-in-hand with private sector players, research institutions, civil society, and most importantly, with the farmers themselves to birth and sustain a new era of farming and food production. It is a high-paced era that leaves no room for excuses. Africa must make progress and move forward,” noted Dr. Jonathan.
He pointed out that the future of agriculture on our continent is intricately tied to our ability to embrace and scale available and emerging technology. These technologies range from precision farming and satellite imaging to drone technology and artificial intelligence, digital tools and can revolutionise the sector.
“We are already witnessing promising innovations in this regard across the continent. In Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda, tech-driven platforms are connecting farmers to markets, providing weather forecasts, and facilitating access to credit. Yet, for these innovations to scale, we must deliberately invest in rural infrastructure, digital literacy, and affordable connectivity,” he stated.
Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Republic of Rwanda, emphasised that putting farmers’ needs and preferences first is a paradigm shift. It means placing smallholder farmers, the unsung heroes of our food systems, at the center of all decisions, investments, and innovations. It involves listening to their challenges, valuing their traditional knowledge and wisdom, and co-creating solutions that empower them to enhance productivity.
“Our policies and programmes in Rwanda are based on the knowledge that providing farmers with the necessary resources, information, and support networks is essential for sustainable development,” he said.
He pointed out that Rwanda’s agricultural transformation agenda has been informed by a farmer-centric approach, which ensures that useful innovations are accessible to farmers.
Dr. Canisius Kanangire, the Executive Director of AATF, noted that when farmer-centred technologies are implemented within a supportive and enabling environment, they significantly increase productivity, improve livelihoods, and drive economic empowerment.
“For over two decades, AATF has coordinated the formation and implementation of public-private partnerships aimed at facilitating development and access to agricultural technologies that address production challenges, enhance yields, and contribute to the continent’s economic growth while enhancing community health and wealth.”
Despite progress in research and technology development, the diffusion of these innovations to end-users, especially farmers, remains limited. Persistent bottlenecks are preventing the delivery of these innovations to market, which diminishes the return on investment in agricultural R&D and undermines the intended impact.
“Addressing these challenges requires deliberate action by high-level decision-makers and institutions across the continent to improve value chain optimisation and facilitate intra-African trade,” Dr. Kanangire added.
ACAT will continue to provide a critical platform for stakeholders who are committed to advancing Africa’s socio-economic development and food security through agricultural innovation. It stimulates conversations on sustainable pathways for developing, transferring, and adopting agricultural technologies among smallholder farmers to achieve rural economic transformation.
The Conference has brought together over 800 delegates drawn from the African continent and beyond. They include government representatives, industry thought leaders, policymakers, technical experts, private institutions, farmers, women, and youth.
The convening is expected to build momentum towards action on current discussions and recommendations on the importance of the utilisation of innovative agricultural technologies.