This September, BongoHive Consult’s Innovation Unit, in partnership with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and AICCRA Zambia, successfully facilitated the Ukama Ustawi/I2G Innovation Challenge. This 5-day program was designed to address the pressing challenges of food and nutrition security by promoting climate-resilient, water-secure, and socially inclusive approaches to agriculture. The initiative aimed to revolutionise the agribusiness ecosystem by leveraging Climate-Smart Agriculture and Climate Information Services (CSA-CIS) to empower Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in developing practical solutions.

The program opened with insights from Evans Chinembiri, highlighting how the Ukama Ustawi project is driving a climate-smart future for Africa through science and innovation in agriculture. The focus on critical areas like agricultural water management and soil health was aimed at addressing the overreliance on maize, a staple crop highly vulnerable to climate fluctuations. With guidance from BongoHive’s Innovation, Tech, and Entrepreneurship teams, the ECRs engaged in a design sprint that involved problem statement development, user persona creation, and journey mapping to ensure their solutions were user-centric and tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers.

“The Ukama Ustawi challenge represents a forward-thinking approach to tackling the multifaceted challenges facing agriculture today,” remarked Dorus Silwizya, a member of the BongoHive Consult innovation team. “By bringing together a diverse group of experts and practitioners, we’re poised to uncover innovative solutions that can enhance agricultural productivity and resilience in the face of climate change.”

The program emphasised co-creation, an aspect underscored by Mirriam Mukungwe from AICCRA I2G: “Ukama Ustawi is not just about finding solutions—it’s about co-creating them. By leveraging design thinking, lean startup modelling, and agile practices, we’re facilitating collaborative workshops, hackathons, and sprints that bring together diverse perspectives to tackle these complex challenges head-on.”

The highlight of the challenge was the Demo Day, where six teams presented their solutions to a panel of esteemed judges: Gilbert Mwale, CEO of Emsika; Consent Sibeso, Liaison Officer at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture; Maumo Mubila, Manager of Entrepreneurship at BongoHive Consult; and Valencia Mbotha Shealoso, Project Administrator at IWMI, who also opened the event and provided the audience with background on the Ukama Ustawi project.

In his closing remarks, BongoHive’s Executive Director, Lukonga Lindunda, expressed his admiration for the participants: “This initiative underscores our commitment to co-creating sustainable solutions that address Africa’s most pressing challenges in agriculture and climate resilience.”

Congratulations to the top three winners – Geo-Agri, SAWS APP, and Pamodzi Water Solutions – for their innovative pitches. Their success reflects not just their dedication, but also the power of collaborative efforts between BongoHive, IWMI, and AICCRA Zambia to drive meaningful change in the agricultural sector.

The Ukama Ustawi Innovation Challenge is a testament to the power of collaborative innovation. By providing a platform for researchers and practitioners to test and refine their ideas, IWMI and BongoHive are contributing to more robust and sustainable agribusiness practices.  As this challenge progresses, we eagerly await the groundbreaking solutions that will emerge, showcasing BongoHive Consult’s mission to leverage technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship to unlock Africa’s potential. 

We remain committed to fostering a culture of innovation and supporting the development of sustainable solutions for a climate-resilient future in agriculture.