Innovate Africa Challenge 2026

The Innovate Africa Challenge 2026, run by Smart Africa and the FAO, seeks proven AI solutions that help African farmers adapt to climate change.

What it offers

• 50 000 USD in funding
• Real-world deployment in one of five countries: Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Malawi or Uganda
• On-the-ground support from FAO technical experts
• Partnerships with national ministries and Smart Africa
• Continental visibility and data-validation of impact

Who can apply

• Startups or innovator teams with at least 2 people
• Entities legally registered or teams/persons with demonstrated experience
• Solutions at TRL 3–6
• Funding stage between pre-seed and Series A
• A working solution already deployed, piloted or ready for deployment

What you'll do

• Provide actionable AI recommendations to farmers using African agricultural, climate and remote-sensing data
• Produce clear, usable outputs
• Integrate with existing national agricultural data systems and digital extension services
• Adapt to the realities of smallholder farmers

How to apply

• Visit the official application portal: FAO STI Portal
• Or go to the e-agriculture site: FAO e-agriculture

Good to know

• Deadline: 31 August 2026
• Preference is given to solutions serving small-scale farmers, women and young farmers
• Solutions already integrated with national systems or partnered with ministries, research institutes or farmer organisations are favoured