Africa’s agriculture sector, which employs an estimated 70% to 80% of rural populations, remains highly fragmented and constrained by weak digital infrastructure, raising questions about how effectively climate technology can address both food security and sustainability challenges.
The issue was central to a panel discussion at the AfricArena Nairobi Climate Tech Summit 2025, where start-up founders, venture capitalists, and industry leaders debated the sector’s opportunities and structural barriers.
Eugene Gikonyo, investment principal at Mercy Corp Ventures, said the gap between concept and execution in agritech continues to limit investor appetite. “Agritech is a challenge in Africa… We need to recognise the hurdles and the infrastructure that needs to be built. But there is a long lead time (from concept to implementation of technology) in this space, which speaks to apprehension from other commercial investors,” he noted.
Francis Nderitu, MD and founder of Keep it Cool, underscored the need to move beyond outdated models. “This is about efficient use of resources. We cannot depend on the status quo,” he said, adding that the continent can no longer rely on traditional weather and climate patterns for agricultural planning.
Despite rising interest, panellists stressed that entrepreneurs face regulatory and policy barriers that vary sharply across markets. Nderitu argued that resilience and operational efficiency are key. “You have to be resilient. It’s about having the expertise in place, understanding compliance, and reducing operational cost by using the same assets. Rather than looking to expand geographically, practical scaling to ensure sustainability is very important.”
Funding gaps remain a significant constraint. Fares Seaidi, advisor at Scaling Digital Agriculture Innovations Through Start-Ups, said early-stage capital is critical to commercial success. “Working capital can help start-ups to test models, adjust their revenue models and think of margins to grow as a commercial venture,” he said.
On the operational side, panellists highlighted the central role of data in building inclusive systems. Elias Ngotho, product marketing manager at Ishamba, said technology must be adapted to farmer realities. “It all starts with data; data is the bloodline of our core business… it helps farmers to be productive. We need to put systems in place to collect data efficiently, to collect data for farmers to increase productivity. There’s a lot of technology and innovation, but I have the feeling these approaches are top-to-bottom rather than bottom-to-top. We need to make technology simple, easy to implement and manage,” he said.
Ngotho added that most smallholders still rely on basic communication channels. “The reality is that those farmers with smartphones don’t have the knowledge to be able to use the technology and some cannot afford data. We have to adopt a farmer-centric approach to providing tech, remember that farmers tend to listen to their peers above anyone else.”
The session concluded with consensus that while innovation and investment in climate technology are advancing, they must translate into accessible, farmer-driven solutions if agriculture is to deliver its full economic and social potential across the continent.
