JINJA, UGANDA — Heifer International has launched the fourth edition of its AYuTe Africa Challenge in Uganda, an initiative aimed at fostering youth-led innovation in agriculture and positioning Uganda as a leader in agritech.
William Matovu, Country Director for Heifer International Uganda, emphasized the organization’s commitment to a digital, dynamic, and youth-driven agricultural future. “The AYuTe Africa Challenge is not merely a competition—it is a launchpad for audacious ideas. A platform where visionaries dare to reimagine agriculture. And most importantly, a catalyst for inclusive rural prosperity,” Matovu said. He added that the challenge underscores the power of homegrown innovation, asserting that Uganda can lead African agricultural innovation, with young people serving as “visionaries and architects of a new agricultural era.”
The initiative has also boosted female participation in agritech, with women comprising 30% of finalists, and has inspired a national culture of tech-led agripreneurship.
This year, the focus expands beyond innovation to entrepreneurship. “We seek Agripreneurs who are building sustainable businesses, creating jobs, and turning innovative ideas into engines of growth and transformation,” Matovu explained. “These are the changemakers lighting up rural economies and shaping the future of food systems across our nation.”
With a prize fund of UGX 222 million, the challenge aims to invest in leadership, potential, and scalable impact. Participants will receive not only funding but also participate in a rigorous accelerator program covering production management, sales and marketing, finance, and stakeholder engagement, among other areas. “We are equipping them not just to prototype, but to prosper,” Matovu stated.
The launch was made possible with support from partners including the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries; the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance; Mastercard Foundation; EzyAgric; Forvis Mazars; The Innovation Village; and CURAD.
Hon. Fred Kyakulaga Bwino, Chief Guest at the launch, lauded Heifer International and its partners for creating a platform that integrates youth, technology, and agriculture for Uganda’s future. “Agriculture, as we all know, is the lifeblood of Uganda’s economy,” Bwino said— acknowledging challenges such as low productivity and limited access to finance. “This is precisely why AYuTe matters.”
He described the competition as a deliberate intervention that fosters youth-led innovations addressing real-world problems from farm to market.
Minister Bwino noted that the AYuTe Africa Challenge aligns with Uganda Vision 2040 and the national strategy to transition agriculture from subsistence to commercial enterprise, contributing to a modern, knowledge-based, and inclusive economy driven by the nation’s youth.
