INDIA | The World Agriculture Forum (WAF) and Indigram Labs Foundation (ILF) signed a strategic MoU in New Delhi to jointly advance AgTech innovation, startup incubation, accelerator programs, entrepreneurship development, and investment readiness platforms across Africa.
Beginning with an initial engagement in 10 African countries, the partnership brings together WAF’s global multi-stakeholder platform and expanding Country Council network with ILF’s proven expertise in nurturing over 100 agri-startups through incubation, mentoring, acceleration, and market linkage support.
The collaboration aims to foster innovation-driven agricultural transformation, support youth entrepreneurship, strengthen climate-resilient food systems, and promote sustainable rural prosperity across Africa.
Africa continues to hold immense agricultural potential but faces challenges, including low productivity, climate vulnerability, limited technology adoption, market inefficiencies, and limited access to finance.
Both organisations believe that strengthening AgTech innovation ecosystems, accelerator programs, and investment-ready agri-enterprises can significantly contribute to resilient food systems, improved farmer incomes, and sustainable agricultural growth.
As part of the collaboration, the initiative aims to:
- Support high-impact AgTech startups and innovation ecosystems
- Establish and strengthen startup incubation and accelerator programs
- Facilitate investment readiness and capital mobilisation platforms
- Promote digital agriculture, AI-enabled solutions, and climate-smart farming systems
- Strengthen market linkages and agri-enterprise development
- Support youth and women entrepreneurship in agriculture
- Foster Africa–India knowledge exchange and institutional cooperation
- Advance policy dialogue and partnerships with governments and development institutions
The collaboration is expected to support the development of over 500 agri-entrepreneurs annually, working closely with host governments, corporates, development institutions, financial institutions, foundations, and global organisations operating across Africa’s agriculture and rural development landscape. It will initially focus on Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and others as the initiative scales.
