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| Heifer International President Surita Sandosham giving her Opening remarks at the AYuTe NextGen 2025 Conference |
Kampala, Uganda June 17, 2025 Heifer International President Surita Sandosham has issued a powerful call to action to African governments, investors, and development agencies to invest boldly in youth-led agri-tech innovations, describing young people as “not the future—but the now” of agricultural transformation.
Sandosham made the remarks during the opening of the AYuTe NextGen 2025 Conference, held at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala. The conference, organized by Heifer International in partnership with Ugandan government agencies and continental actors, has convened over 300 youth innovators, impact investors, policy leaders and tech developers from across Africa to chart the future of agriculture through technology.
“We must end the hesitation around youth-led innovation,” Sandosham told delegates. “Africa’s agricultural future lies in the hands of its young people—who make up over 60% of the population—and we must provide them with capital, policy support, and platforms to thrive.”
According to the African Development Bank, agriculture accounts for 23% of Africa’s GDP and employs over 60% of its workforce, yet it remains underfunded and dominated by low-productivity, subsistence-level practices. In Uganda, agriculture employs approximately 72% of the labour force, and 63% of that workforce is youth.
The AYuTe (Agriculture, Youth, and Technology) initiative, launched by Heifer International in 2021, seeks to reverse this trend by nurturing agri-tech startups that can increase food production, strengthen climate resilience, and improve incomes for smallholder farmers.
Uganda’s Minister of State for Agriculture, Hon. Bright Rwamirama, who officially opened the summit, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to youth-centred agricultural development.
He highlighted the role of national policies such as the Parish Development Model (PDM)—which reserves 30% of funding for youth—and the National Strategy for Youth Employment in Agriculture (NSYEA) as key frameworks enabling young people to take the lead.
“The youth are no longer leaders of tomorrow,” said Rwamirama. “They are the ones already creating digital tools, livestock tracking systems, and climate-smart innovations that are redefining our food systems.”
He commended Heifer International for its long-standing partnership with Uganda’s agriculture sector, especially in livestock development, digital extension services, and farmer empowerment.
Heifer Uganda Country Director, William Matovu, underscored Uganda’s strategic position as an emerging agri-tech hub in East Africa, citing improved digital infrastructure, a growing pool of tech-savvy youth, and strong political will.
“Uganda is not just a pilot ground. It’s a launchpad for scalable African agri-tech solutions,” Matovu said. “With the right support, our youth can solve challenges in productivity, access to finance, and climate adaptation.”
He said that more than 100 youth-led start-ups had benefited from the AYuTe platform in East Africa, several of which have already rolled out technologies in areas like digital animal health, blockchain-based traceability, and mobile breeding management systems.
The conference also echoed the growing need for collaboration between governments, academia, development partners, and the private sector to break the silos that have traditionally hindered agricultural growth.
“What Africa needs is not just innovation, but coordination and scale,” Sandosham said. “We must embed youth into national plans and continental agendas like the Malabo Declaration and CAADP.”
Minister Rwamirama added that the government is working to build “a permanent dialogue platform” between youth innovators, policy makers, and investors.
He also reiterated Uganda’s readiness to host more continental agri-tech initiatives, saying the country offers policy stability, a vibrant entrepreneurial youth base, and market access across the East African region.
“Resilience is not a buzzword,” he concluded. “It means planting high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties, deploying smart technologies, and preparing for the risks of climate change.”
The AYuTe NextGen Conference runs for three days, featuring startup pitch competitions, policy roundtables, investment matchmaking sessions, and field visits to showcase innovation in action.
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